How does artificial intelligence transform the world of book?

A systemic revolution – How does artificial intelligence transform

Artificial intelligence (AI) does not only upset industry. In addition, medicine or financial services: it deeply transforms the economy of book, from writing to sale, passing through publishing, translation, illustration and distribution. In addition, This technological revolution raises hopes. Additionally, In addition, time saving, democratization of creation, but also concerns: precariousness of trades, cultural standardization, dependence on platforms, opacity of algorithms.

As early as 2023. Moreover, publishing houses like harfercollin or hatchet experimented with AI tools to generate summaries, produce models of blankets or accelerate editorial work. Furthermore, In 2024. However, the first automatic publication platforms based on models like GPT-4 or Claude enabled thousands of lovers to publish works generated in a few hours.

In parallel, sales of self-published ebooks by IA jumped 35 % in the United States and 20 % in Europe. Moreover, This dynamic is only how does artificial intelligence transform the prelude to a structural transformation.

Literary writing: towards co -writing or standardization? – How does artificial intelligence transform

Writing is the first touchdown link. Similarly, Advanced linguistic models today make it possible to produce coherent stories, living dialogues, complete narrative structures. Meanwhile, This capacity upsets the very notion of author.

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On the one hand, AI offers powerful tools to writers: help with reformulation, generation of ideas, stylistic suggestions. Meanwhile, On the other hand. For example, it allows anyone, without literary experience, to produce novels or calibrated tests, potentially attractive on the digital market.

But this automation has a double risk: the loss of singularity of the author’s voice. In addition, and the proliferation of texts formatted according to logics of algorithmic optimization (engagement rate, emotions, etc.). Nevertheless, The risk is that of a literary production dominated by how does artificial intelligence transform the criteria of platforms rather than by artistic choices.

Edition, a redefined job – How does artificial intelligence transform

The editorial work is also upset. Furthermore, The AI allows you to automatically annotate manuscripts, detect narrative inconsistencies, suggest cuts or additions. Nevertheless, Some startups already offer “increased readership” services or predictive analysis of the commercial success of a manuscript.

This transforms the role of the publisher: a ferryman between the author. Similarly, the reader, he could become manager of a flow of content generated, selected according to algorithmic criteria. Similarly, This displacement from editorial power to tools raises ethical issues: which decides what deserves to be published? However, On what basis?

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Some publishers resist by affirming a role of “human curator” in the face of announced literary infobesity. Furthermore, But they will face increasing competitive pressure.

Translation: a deep changing sector

how does artificial intelligence transform

Neuronal translation tools (Deeppl, Google Translate, Chatgpt) have made spectacular progress. Therefore, From now on, publishing houses use them to produce first translation versions, then refined by human rereaders.

This evolution threatens the profession of literary translator, already in favor. Because if AI allows a quick. inexpensive translation, it struggles to restore word games, cultural implicit, the rhythm of a language. The risk is to accept “acceptable” quality to the detriment of the literary requirement. especially for works with low print or commercial aim.

Translator unions alert on this drift. requesting regulation of the use of AI and recognition of translation as a full -fledged creative act.

Illustration. coverage: a market saturated by AI

Since 2022, tools like Midjourney, Dall · E or Stable Diffusion have generated images in a few seconds, from simple textual descriptions. Book covers, youth illustrations, comics, everything becomes generable.

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For publishers, gain is obvious: saving time and costs. But for illustrators, it’s a shock. Many see their activity threatened by images of correct quality, from massive databases, without remuneration of original artists.

Some IA illustration platforms are already saturated with visuals available at a few euros. The perceived value of the image falls, while the stylistic diversity tends to homogenize. The collectives of artists ask that clauses of respect for copyright be applied to the training bases of these AI.

In this regard. I had the opportunity to chat with a famous author in Tunisia, of a certain age, who was happy to inform me that he was going to finally be able to write books for youth, because AI allows him easily and free of charge to generate illustrations. Before, he could not do it due to how does artificial intelligence transform the low presence of illustrators in the country. This anecdote highlights the double aspect of this revolution: a threat for some, an opportunity for others.

Distribution. bookstores: concentration, automation, invisibilization

The impact of AI on the distribution of the book goes through two channels: automated logistics and algorithmic recommendation.

On the logistics side, Amazon, Rakuten and other platforms use predictive AI to anticipate demand, adjust stocks, and accelerate deliveries. This strengthens their logistical domination to the detriment of independent networks, whose room for maneuver is less.

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On the bookstore side, AI modifies the relationship to the reader. Recommendation systems based on purchasing history or behavioral profiles guide choices, often invisible. This mechanism promotes already popular or formatted works, and relegates more demanding or atypical titles to the fringes. It is a form of how does artificial intelligence transform gentle censorship, where the algorithm becomes a dominant prescriber.

For booksellers. the struggle becomes double: faced with algorithmic visibility on the one hand, and in the face of pressure from customers increasingly used to personalized and immediate recommendations.

Towards an autonomous industrialization of the book: the role of intelligent agents

Artificial intelligence is no longer limited today. to passive tools. It evolves towards the creation of autonomous agents. capable of observing, deciding and acting in complex environments, without direct human intervention. A agent In AI is a computer program capable of perceiving its environment. reasoning on the basis of predefined objectives and acting independently to achieve them.

In his test The decisive jump – Build the future of Africa in the AI eraKarim Beguir describes these. agents as one of the most decisive elements of contemporary technological evolution. Published in co -edition by DNA (France). ACA Éditions (Tunisia) In 2025, how does artificial intelligence transform this book draws up an accessible and strategic panorama of artificial intelligence in African and Mediterranean societies.

Applied to the economy of the book. this technological jump opens the way to a fully automated production: agents could not only generate literary texts calibrated according to reading trends, but also design the coverage, write the fourth, choose an editorial format and automatically deposit the work on sales platforms.

This chain of creation. ultra-fast and at almost zero cost, could flood the market of publications generated without human intervention, deeply overwhelming the literary ecosystem.

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Karim Beguir insists that this advance can be a lever for local savings if it is supervised by a strong political and ethical will. In the field of book. it will be for publishers, booksellers, authors and cultural institutions to choose between suffering how does artificial intelligence transform or reinventing a model where humans keep their hands on meaning, quality and purpose.

Legal. ethical and ecological issues

This technological revolution asks many questions:

• Legal: Who holds the rights of a text generated by AI? The human author? The publisher? Furthermore, The company having developed the algorithm?

• Ethics: Can we publish without transparency on the origin of the content? Should the reader be informed that a text is co-written by AI?

• Ecological: The AI consumes enormous energy resources (leading GPT-3 consumed as much electricity as a home for several decades). What environmental cost for automated mass literary production?

These issues force the actors of the book to anticipate, debate, regulate. Copyright, editorial transparency, digital sobriety must become priorities.

Choose a human model

Artificial intelligence does not constitute a threat to the book as an object. but it deeply redefines the functions and professions linked to its how does artificial intelligence transform economy. The central question is that of the creation. distribution model that actors, authors, publishers, booksellers, translators, illustrators, will choose to promote.

Two trajectories are emerging. The first is that of passivity leaving large platforms imposing standardization and commercial optimization logics. It could lead to cultural standardization and increased precariousness of the book professions.

The second is that of a creative resistance. of a collective effort to build alternatives where the human remains at the center: to supervise the use of AI, to enhance know-how, to guarantee transparency on the share of AI in works, to protect copyright, and to control the environmental impact of digital.

AI is not a destiny. It can become a lever for emancipation. creation if it is supervised by a strong political, cultural and ethical will. It is on this condition that the book will be able to cross its decisive jump without losing its how does artificial intelligence transform âmoe.

Photo credits: Armennano CC

Folder – “Murmures and noises of the world”, the Hassen Jaïed logbook

By Hassen Jaïed
Contact : afrique_culture@yahoo.fr