Historical Researcher Slams Book Destruction for AI Training: Irreplaceable Data Lost
rhynwilliams · reddit · 2026-07-29
A historical researcher criticizes AI companies for cutting book spines to scan data, destroying rare books. He notes that non-destructive scanning is possible but more expensive. Cutting destroys bindings and loses invisible data (UV, erased writing, DNA, flower presses). Many antique book covers contain fragments of even older manuscripts. He calls for government oversight.
Related event: AI Firms Destroy Physical Books After Scanning for Training Data(8 posts)→
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