Keith Riegert Says 2 in 3 Gen Z Readers Reject AI Books as 1 Million Titles Flood Market
Updated
Updated · The Daily Wire · Jun 20
Keith Riegert Says 2 in 3 Gen Z Readers Reject AI Books as 1 Million Titles Flood Market
1 articles · Updated · The Daily Wire · Jun 20
Summary
Two-thirds of students in NYU’s publishing master’s program tell Keith Riegert they actively refuse to use AI, a signal he says reflects broader consumer demand for human-made, authentic books.
That pushback comes after Barnes & Noble CEO James Daunt said the chain would stock AI-generated books if they are clearly labeled, a stance that triggered backlash among readers.
Riegert says AI books are still selling, especially in nonfiction and now fiction, often under fake authors with AI-generated images targeting established niches.
Publishers Weekly reported about 1 million more books entered the market year over year while Big Five output stayed flat, reinforcing Riegert’s view that AI is driving the surge.
He argues the glut may ultimately restore value to human curation—authentic author videos, indie bookstores and handwritten staff picks—as readers grow more skeptical of polished, bot-like content.