Book Industry Study Group (BISG) and BookNet Canada Release 2026 Report on AI Use Across the North American Book Industry – AI Use Across the North American Book Industry 2026

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September 29, 2026

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2026 Report on AI Use Across the North American Book Industry, with charts on editing, marketing, translation, distribution, and copyright. — This infographic highlights AI’s growing impact on editing, marketing, translation, distribution, and book design.

BISG and BookNet Canada Release 2026 Report on AI Use Across the North American Book Industry

Date posted: September 28, 2026

Posted By: Liz Bartekin, Announcements, Committees

A year can make a significant difference when it comes to artificial intelligence.

The Book Industry Study Group (BISG) and BookNet Canada have released AI Use Across the North American Book Industry 2026, the second annual report examining how publishing professionals and organizations across the U.S. and Canada are using—and thinking about—AI.

Drawing on 771 responses, this year’s report provides an opportunity to look beyond a single snapshot and begin tracking how AI adoption, attitudes, policies, and concerns are changing over time.

The results point to an industry becoming more nuanced in its approach. Organizational use of AI has grown considerably, while individual adoption has declined. At the same time, organizations are putting more structure around AI use through policies, controlled workflows, and training—even as concerns about copyright, creators, accuracy, trust, security, and sustainability remain widespread.

An Industry Moving Toward More Structured AI Use

One of the clearest changes from 2025 is happening at the organizational level.

In 2026, 63% of respondents said their organization is using AI, up from 48% in 2025. Individual use moved in the opposite direction, falling from 46% to 38%. Organization size also matters: 88% of organizations with more than 100 employees reported using AI.

Adoption does not necessarily mean unrestricted use. The most common organizational approach is to encourage AI within controlled workflows or for specific tasks, while 49% of respondents said their organization now has an official AI policy or guidelines, up from 31% in 2025.

As BISG Executive Director Allison Belan notes:

“The conversation around AI in publishing is becoming much more nuanced and pragmatic. Organizations are increasingly exploring where these tools actually provide value, while also putting more emphasis on policies, controlled workflows, and risk management. These results give us a clearer picture of where the industry—both organizationally and individually—is today and where more guidance and shared learning are needed.”

Where AI Is Being Used

For both individuals and organizations, AI use remains concentrated in practical, workflow-oriented areas. The most common applications are administrative and operational tasks and marketing, followed by areas including research, data analysis and reporting, and metadata and title optimization.

Among professionals already using AI, 72% said it has increased their efficiency or productivity. But the report also captures the experiences of those who have found AI less useful, including the time required to correct inaccurate results, refine prompts, review outputs, or learn how to use the technology safely.

Concerns Remain High

Greater organizational adoption has not diminished concerns about AI.

Copyright remains a leading issue, cited by 86% of respondents. Concerns about potential impacts on creators, environmental sustainability, legal liability, security, and publishing career pathways also remain significant or have increased since 2025.

Trust is another major theme. 89% of respondents expressed concern about the accuracy of AI-generated information, while the same percentage were concerned about AI-generated books—including fraudulent or low-quality content—flooding major retail platforms. Concerns about protecting authors and creators, disclosure to consumers, and the ability to distinguish AI-generated, AI-assisted, and human-created work were also high.

Taken together, the findings suggest that the industry’s conversation is moving beyond simply asking whether AI is being used. Increasingly, the questions are how and if it can be used responsibly, where its use is appropriate, and how publishing’s values can be protected as the technology evolves.

The post Book Industry Study Group (BISG) and BookNet Canada Release 2026 Report on AI Use Across the North American Book Industry appeared first on Library Journal infoDOCKET.

See full-text report: https://knowledgecenter.bisg.org/286e6jf

Continue/Read Original Article: https://www.infodocket.com/2026/09/29/book-industry-study-group-bisg-and-booknet-canada-release-2026-report-on-ai-use-across-the-north-american-book-industry/