Seattle Worldcon 2025’s use of ChatGPT as part of the screening process for program participants was publicly acknowledged by Chair Kathy Bond at the end of April. Bond initially defended the decision as saving volunteers time but rocked by the universally negative response turned around and issued an apology. Bond and program division head SunnyJim Morgan followed up with detailed information about the way ChatGPT had been used to search for background info, including any history of code of conduct issues. They did not seem to have recognized ahead of time that the community of writers they hope to attract to the program harbor immense hostility and resentment against AI and tools like ChatGPT which have been trained on vast libraries of text used without compensation to authors, and have the business goal of competing with or replacing writers in various markets.

Since then, author Mia Tsai has protested the Worldcon’s use of ChatGPT by organizing a one-day alternative program to be held in a nearby venue.

While this controversy played out, the Seattle Worldcon Hugo Administrators and WSFS Division Head quit, and the committee cancelled the first of two Town Halls meant to educate people about how the virtual business meeting will work.

Here are the most widely-read posts from May 2025 according to the eternally glitchy Jetpack.

• Seattle Worldcon 2025 ChatGPT Controversy Roundup
• Seattle Worldcon 2025 Hugo Administrators and WSFS Division Head Resign
• Responding to Controversy, Seattle Worldcon Defends Using ChatGPT to Vet Program Participants
• Seattle Worldcon 2025 Tells How ChatGPT Was Used in Panelist Selection Process
• Op-Ed: About Choosing Convention Program Participants
• Seattle 2025 Chair Apologizes for Use of ChatGPT to Vet Program Participants
• Mia Tsai Announces ConCurrent Seattle as Alternative Program to 2025 Worldcon
• Seattle Worldcon 2025 Cancels WSFS Business Meeting Town Hall 1
• Pixel Scroll 5/7/25 The Compleat Pixeller In Scroll
• Seattle Worldcon 2025 Chair Delivers Update About Panelist Vetting