Key Points
- Waterstones CEO James Daunt open to selling AI-created books, but only with clear labelling.
- AI-generated books would only be sold if there’s customer demand, says Daunt.
- Daunt believes AI content won’t replace personal author-reader connections.
- AI’s growing role in publishing stirs debate, with authors concerned about job security and copyright issues.
LONDON: Waterstones, one of the UK’s most famous bookstores, may start selling books created by artificial intelligence (AI) in the future, according to the company’s boss, James Daunt. However, he emphasized that the AI-generated books would only be sold if they were clearly labeled, and if customers showed interest in them.
In a recent interview with the BBC’s Big Boss podcast, Daunt, who has worked in the book industry for decades, shared that while Waterstones currently does not sell AI-generated content, he wouldn’t rule out doing so in the future. He believes the final decision should be left to the readers, but he personally doubts it will become a major trend.
“There’s a huge rise in AI-created content, but most of it isn’t the kind of book we would sell,” Daunt said. He acknowledged that technology companies are spending vast amounts of money on AI, and it’s possible that AI could eventually create a masterpiece like War and Peace. Still, any AI-created books would be clearly marked so customers know what they’re buying.
The topic of AI in publishing has sparked debates, with many authors concerned about being replaced by machines or having their work used without permission to train AI models. Despite this, some authors are already using AI to help with research or editing, and even creating full books with AI tools.
Daunt emphasized that readers value a connection with the author, something that cannot be replicated by a machine. He believes AI-generated books would never replace the deep, personal connection people have with authors. If Waterstones ever sells AI books, they would make sure it’s clear that the book was created by AI.
Although Daunt has expressed some reservations about AI books, he remains open to the idea if the demand arises. “If people want to read an AI-generated book, we will sell it—so long as it doesn’t pretend to be something it isn’t,” he said.
While this is still a long way off, Daunt’s thoughts on the matter reflect the ongoing discussions about AI’s role in publishing. For now, Waterstones continues to focus on selling books from traditional publishers and fostering personal connections between authors and readers.
Daunt also touched on other topics in his interview, including the possibility of Waterstones and its American counterpart, Barnes & Noble, going public. Despite these future plans, Daunt’s primary focus remains on delivering great books to customers and supporting the wider book industry.
