AI firms destroy physical books for training data

AI companies are bulk-buying physical books from antiquarian booksellers to scan and digitize them for training AI models.

The process involves dismantling books and extracting every word, raising concerns about the loss of physical literary artifacts.

Books have historical and cultural significance, having survived wars, fires, and censorship, but now face destruction due to AI's data appetite.

The practice highlights a debate between technological progress and the preservation of cultural heritage and human creativity.