Scanning and digitizing old books can accelerate historical research, giving historians access to material that was previously hard to find.
Destructively scanning books could be seen as a practical solution to preserve content digitally, especially for works still under copyright.
Concerns
Shredding irreplaceable texts for AI training is not just unethical; it raises serious concerns about the future of rare books.
The practice of AI companies buying and destroying books for cheaper training data reflects a disturbing trend that prioritizes profit over preserving cultural heritage.
Thereās a growing skepticism that AI companies genuinely care about the value of the material theyāre destroying, treating it merely as a means to an end.