Macmillan Staff Say Publisher Celebrated AI Assistant NOA—Then Pulled the Plug
Workers tell WIRED that NOA—short for "No Ordinary Assistant"—was unhelpful. Bestselling authors also say AI is eroding their relationships with Big Five publishers.
By Adam Morgan • Culture • October 28, 2026, 6:15 AM
Employees at Macmillan say the publisher hosted a launch party for a workplace AI assistant called NOA—then quietly killed the project after it failed to deliver. Workers who spoke with WIRED described the tool as unhelpful in practice, and the episode has become a flashpoint in a broader dispute over how the Big Five publisher is deploying AI.
A Party for an Assistant That Didn't Work
According to staff accounts, Macmillan treated NOA's rollout as a milestone, complete with internal celebration. But the assistant—branded "No Ordinary Assistant"—struggled to justify the fanfare. Employees say it fell short of the practical support they needed in day-to-day publishing work, and the tool was eventually discontinued.
Authors Weigh In on AI and the Big Five
The internal frustration echoes a wider concern among Macmillan's authors. Bestselling writers told WIRED that the company's push into AI is damaging their relationships with the Big Five publisher, raising questions about trust, creative labor, and how much automation belongs in the editorial process.
The NOA saga—from party to shutdown—illustrates the gap between AI announcements and workplace reality as publishers race to adopt the technology in 2026.
via Wired AI