Publishers urged to centre literacy in AI age

Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi has urged global publishers to treat literacy as the central test of their relevance in the age of artificial intelligence, warning that technology will deepen inequality unless the book industry expands access to reading, education and trusted knowledge.

Delivering a keynote address at the 35th International Publishers Congress in Kuala Lumpur, the UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Education and Book Culture said publishers could not approach AI only as a productivity tool or commercial disruption. The more urgent question, she argued, was whether the industry would use technology, partnerships and its cultural influence to reach communities still excluded from books and learning.

The address, titled Reading for the Future: The Role of Publishers in Closing the Global Literacy Gap, placed literacy at the centre of the congress agenda as publishing executives, copyright specialists, education leaders and technology experts gathered in Malaysia from 5 to 9 July. The congress is being held under the theme Publishing Intelligence, Sustaining Forward, reflecting the sector’s effort to adapt to data-driven tools while protecting human creativity, editorial judgement and intellectual property.

Sheikha Bodour, a former president of the International Publishers Association and founder of Kalimat Group, told delegates that the publishing industry had a direct responsibility to respond to a literacy crisis that remains severe despite decades of progress. At least 739 million adults worldwide still lack basic reading and writing skills, while four in ten children are not reaching minimum proficiency in reading. The scale of the challenge has become more complex as AI systems reshape how people search, read, learn and distinguish reliable information from manipulation.

Her remarks reflected growing unease across the publishing world over the speed with which generative AI is altering education, translation, content discovery and rights management. Publishers see opportunities in AI-assisted distribution, accessible formats, personalised learning and lower-cost production, especially in markets where book access remains limited. They are also confronting risks linked to unauthorised use of copyrighted material, synthetic misinformation, algorithmic bias and the marginalisation of smaller languages.

The Kuala Lumpur congress has drawn more than 500 publishing professionals from 40 countries, with AI dominating discussions on ethics, misinformation, interoperability and inclusive reading systems. Sessions have examined how national book ecosystems, digital voucher programmes and open knowledge initiatives can widen access without weakening the economic foundations that allow authors, editors and publishers to sustain quality work.

Sheikha Bodour’s intervention sought to move the debate beyond defensive arguments over rights and revenue. Her central message was that publishers must remain custodians of literacy in a period when reading itself is being transformed. AI may generate summaries, translations and learning prompts at scale, but the habit of reading, the ability to evaluate information and the cultural value of books require human guidance, strong institutions and long-term investment.

The speech also drew on her Reading for the Future campaign launched with UNESCO in Rabat during its year as World Book Capital 2026. The initiative aims to promote reading among young people and strengthen the role of books in education and cultural participation. A linked Young Voices of World Book Capitals anthology project is designed to give young readers and writers a platform across cities that have held the UNESCO designation.

For publishers, the practical implications are wide-ranging. Children’s books in mother tongues, affordable school and community libraries, accessible digital editions, stronger local publishing capacity and partnerships with governments and civil society are likely to become more central to industry strategy. The challenge is particularly sharp in regions where print distribution remains costly, libraries are underfunded and digital access is uneven.

Sheikha Bodour’s standing in the sector gives weight to the call. She served as IPA president during a period marked by pandemic disruption, digital acceleration and debates over freedom to publish. She has also built publishing and advocacy platforms focused on Arabic children’s literature, women’s leadership in publishing and cultural development from Sharjah.