When AI Becomes the ‘Ultimate Reader': The Dissolution of Reading Boundaries
VPS – the President's Suite. Today, we're going to discuss a revolutionary concept: What happens to our relationship with text when AI becomes the “reader”? This not only concerns the innovation of reading methods but also touches upon the reshaping of power dynamics between authors and readers.
1. Tyler Cowen's “Writing for AI”: A Bold Prediction
The omniscient economist Tyler Cowen made a surprising statement this January, declaring that he has started “writing for AI.” His logic is that any content he publishes publicly will not only be read by humans but also “read” and learned by AI systems. And the importance of this new reader, AI, is no less than that of humans. Why? Because AI does not forget. As long as you provide it with enough text, it can extract a highly accurate “thought model” of you. In the distant future, your descendants or fans will be able to interact with your “thoughts” without having to dig through dusty old books.
Based on this idea, Cowen has begun deliberately recording more seemingly mundane personal life snippets on his blog, such as his memories from ages four to seven. He believes that human readers might find this boring, but this data is crucial for “advanced AI in the near future” to write an excellent biography of Tyler Cowen. Cowen's practice reveals an essential nature of AI: they are the ultimate “reading machines.”
2. AI: The Superhuman “Reading Machine”
To say AI “reads” is, of course, not entirely accurate, as they have no emotions and are not moved by stories. But in some aspects, they demonstrate superhuman reading abilities. A large language model can “digest” the equivalent of millions of books during training. Afterward, it can instantly (though not always perfectly) recall content, establish connections imperceptible to humans, and apply this knowledge to new problems at an astonishing speed. They are like those super-students in college who actually read every single reference book assigned by professors, and they never tire.
3. AI-Assisted Reading: A Gateway to the Universe of Knowledge
This has given rise to a new way of reading: AI-assisted reading. As Cowen says, when he reads now, he constantly throws anything he doesn't understand to a chatbot. AI never gets tired and can access a vast knowledge base that no individual could ever match. Any text, with the help of AI, becomes a gateway to an infinitely explorable universe of knowledge.
More importantly, AI can “reshape” text. Can't understand the obscure and lengthy opening of Dickens's “Bleak House”? No problem, let AI rewrite it for you in more accessible contemporary English. Dickens's Gothic long sentences can become as straightforward as a coffee shop menu in the hands of AI. Thus, the boundary between “original text” and “secondary material” begins to blur.
4. The Rise of “Summary Economics” and the “Rewriting” of Reading
For years, companies like Blinkist have built a massive “summary economics” market by offering 15-minute summaries of non-fiction books. Their secret to success lies in accurately capturing the modern demand for “efficiently acquiring core arguments.” People are not buying an immersive reading experience but rather the social currency and practical information of “I've understood this book.”
In the past, if you were to write an academic paper about a novel but relied only on its abridged version, it would be considered academic misconduct. But now, if I just want to understand the plot and feel the atmosphere, I might confidently say that I have “read” the book through AI's summaries and explanations. In fact, I probably won't bother to painstakingly search for the complete “original version” anymore.
Over the next decade, our relationship with text may completely reverse: we might first read AI-generated rewrites, summaries, or Q\&A versions, and then, only if needed, decide whether to “archaeologically” dig into the original text. It's like how we listen to music now; a popular song often has various different remix versions. As an author, one might not want to see their words “rewritten” in such a way, but this power is shifting from the author's hands to the reader's and their AI's. The distance between reading and editing is being infinitely compressed.
VPS's Reflection: The Future of Reading and Human Value
As AI becomes the “ultimate reader,” the boundaries of reading are dissolving. This not only means that our ways of acquiring information will become more efficient and personalized but also that “reading” and “understanding” in the traditional sense will be redefined. For authors, adapting to this change and ensuring their ideas endure and spread through AI's “reading” will be a new challenge. And for human readers, while AI offers convenience, will we lose the critical thinking, emotional resonance, and deeper understanding that comes from in-depth reading? This is worth our profound consideration.
