Secondhand Book Sales Are Booming — Is AI Behind It?

Mysterious Bulk Orders Raise Questions About the Future of Books                              

                             

Secondhand book sellers are reporting an unusual surge in large bulk purchases, with some orders involving thousands of books. The sudden demand has raised an unexpected question: are artificial intelligence companies buying old books to train AI models?

Reports suggest some AI-related buyers are sourcing books through intermediaries because older and obscure titles can contain information that is difficult to find online. Some sellers have reported sales jumping several times above their normal volumes.

Why Would AI Companies Want Physical Books?

AI companies need enormous amounts of high-quality data to improve their models. While much of that information is already available digitally, millions of books remain difficult or impossible to access online.

Buying physical copies allows companies or their contractors to scan and digitise the contents for processing.

Some reports claim that books may subsequently be destroyed after scanning, particularly where legal agreements require the physical copies to be disposed of. However, details surrounding specific purchases and their ultimate use remain unclear.

What It Means for Book Lovers

The trend could have an unexpected effect: rare and obscure secondhand books may become more valuable if technology companies continue competing for hard-to-find material.

But the development also raises important questions about copyright, ownership and the preservation of literary history.

So, is AI causing the secondhand book boom? It appears to be contributing to the unusual surge in bulk purchases, but it is unlikely to be the only reason people are buying used books.