Millie’s Library CEO discusses the future of reading in the AI era

At the 10th anniversary conference ‘The Future of Reading’ held at Coex in Seoul, Jung Jae-wook, CEO of Millie’s Library, argued that the value of reading will increase in the age of artificial intelligence. Jung stated that while AI can generate instant answers and summaries, reading is essential because it prompts humans to ask new questions.

Over the past decade, reading habits have shifted from ownership to access and from solitary activity to social interaction. Data shows a rise in digital reading; in South Korea, the adult e-book reading rate grew to 17.8% in 2023, with those in their 20s preferring e-books over paper books. Jung identified five future keywords for reading: boundaryless, self-understanding, conversational, connected, and collaborative.

During the conference, Kim Jae-in, a professor at Kyung Hee University, emphasized that language remains a unique human trait that distinguishes people from AI. He warned that the ability to read deeply is at risk as people increasingly rely on short-form video content, noting that reading is fundamental to the process of learning and maintaining cognitive depth.