Survey Opens on AI Use in Book Industry

A pair of North American publishing organizations is running its second annual survey on the use of AI in the publishing industry this summer.

The survey, which is being run by BookNet Canada and the Book Interest Study Group in the U.S., aims to get a general understanding of the AI landscape in publishing by asking a variety of book professionals about their current or prospective AI use and what they want to see in the industry. It’s an extension of the groups’ first survey, which ran in 2025. 

This year’s survey is comprehensive. It asks questions like whether and how a respondent uses AI tools, with responses ranging from “Incorporating AI into my existing structures or workflows” to “Actively discouraging others from using AI.” It asks for examples of how AI might have boosted a respondent’s efficiency, or whether they have ethical objections to using it. 

The 2025 survey reached people across the publishing industry, with a total of over 500 participants. Interestingly, it did not find a consensus on AI use. This mirrors the response to AI in a variety of industries, including education, law, and medicine. 

“Individuals working at larger organizations report higher levels of AI use and greater interest in training opportunities, while respondents at smaller organizations appear more hesitant,” the 2025 report read. “Respondents frequently emphasized concerns about copyright, ethics, job impacts, environmental costs, and the reliability of AI-generated outputs. At the same time, many participants acknowledged that AI tools may offer practical benefits for limited operational tasks when used with human oversight.” 

As different varieties of AI tools proliferate, it will be interesting to see how responses have changed in publishing this year when the survey is released. The organizations running it seem to think so, too—they’re already planning a 2027 survey.