A SHETLAND guide book author says it is “disheartening” and “disappointing” to see travel guides seemingly written by AI “flooding the market”. However it was reposted last Tuesday, at a price of £14.75 for the paperback copy, and now appears as a sponsored post at the top of the page when people search for Shetland travel guides. Goodlad’s own book – Shetland: Your Essential Travel Guide – was published in July 2024, and she said she first came across AI-written guides for the isles when researching. “I discovered a supposed Shetland guide proudly displaying an Islay distillery on the front cover – and many other dubious ‘guides’,” she said. Goodlad said her hope was that the AI travel guide story would be a “turning point” for local bookshops and publishers – with people seeking reputable, local knowledge instead.