Toronto, ON – September 29, 2026 – New research on AI use in the North American book industry
There’s a growing divide between organizational and individual use of artificial intelligence across the North American book industry. Organizational use of AI rose from 48% in 2025 to 63% in 2026, while individual use fell from 46% to 38%.
This is according to new research published by BookNet Canada and the Book Industry Study Group (BISG) in the second annual AI Use Across the North American Book Industry. The survey gathered responses from 771 book industry professionals across the United States and Canada.
Building on the 2025 survey, the 2026 results depict an industry with a high awareness of and increasingly nuanced approach to AI, but one that is far from uniform in its adoption. Many organizations are moving toward structured and controlled use of the technologies, while individuals remain more cautious and divided.
The top three uses of AI by both organizations and individuals in 2026 were administrative or operational tasks (56% of organizations; 46% of individuals), marketing activities (54% of organizations; 44% of individuals), and data analysis or reporting (41% of organizations; 36% of individuals). Of the survey respondents who used AI professionally professionally 72% indicated that it had improved their efficiency or productivity.
Concerns about AI remain widespread. Inadequate controls around the use of copyrighted material remained a leading concern, cited by 86% of respondents. Trust-related concerns were also high: 89% expressed concern about the accuracy of AI-generated information, and the same percentage were concerned about AI-generated books—including fraudulent or low-quality content—flooding major retail platforms.
The findings also point to a cautious attitude toward broader AI adoption. While 33% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that the industry should adapt to new technologies, including the careful adoption of AI, 79% agreed or strongly agreed that the industry should stay informed about AI’s evolution without necessarily moving toward implementation or adoption.
“The conversation around AI in publishing is becoming much more nuanced and pragmatic,” said Allison Belan, BISG’s Executive Director. “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.”
AI adoption in publishing cannot be understood solely as a technology or productivity question. It is also a question about the future of work in creative industries, the value and ownership of intellectual property, the responsibilities of publishers toward creators and readers, and how an industry built around human ideas should respond to increasingly capable systems.
“The 2026 survey release allows for an opportunity to benchmark against the insights gained during 2025’s fielding,” said President & CEO of BookNet Canada, Lauren Stewart. “BookNet is excited to work with BISG to present a wide view of North American attitudes and adoption patterns regarding AI changing over time.”
By repeating the research annually, BISG and BookNet Canada aim to track how AI use, attitudes, expectations, and concerns are changing over time and provide data that can inform industry policies, workflows, training, professional development, and best practices.
The full report, AI Use Across the North American Book Industry 2026, is available free from the BookNet Canada website and the BISG website.
October 20 Webinar: AI in Publishing 2026 — What the Data Tells Us
BISG and BookNet Canada will take the conversation further during a webinar examining the findings of the 2026 survey and what has changed since the inaugural survey.
Allison Belan, Executive Director of the Book Industry Study Group, and Lauren Stewart, President & CEO of BookNet Canada, will share and discuss the results, including where AI is being used today, how approaches differ by organization size, how policies and governance are evolving, and what the year-over-year changes may tell us about the direction of the industry. Learn more and register for “AI in Publishing 2026: What the Data Tells Us.”
October 27 Webinar: How the Canadian book industry is approaching AI
In this webinar designed for the Canadian book industry, Nataly Alarcón, BookNet’s Marketing & Events Manager, will share insights and highlights from the data captured from the Canadian survey respondents. Join us to learn how your industry peers and the organizations they work for are approaching AI. Learn more and register for “How the Canadian book industry is approaching AI.”
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The Book Industry Study Group (BISG) is the leading trade association for the book industry, dedicated to advancing standards, best practices, education, and communication across the publishing ecosystem. BISG brings together agents, publishers, manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors, libraries, retailers, and industry partners to collaboratively solve shared challenges and drive innovation throughout the supply chain. Through its committees, members build relationships, develop transformative ideas, and address issues affecting multiple parts of the industry. BISG’s five core practice areas are metadata, rights, subject codes (BISAC), supply chain, and workflow.
BookNet Canada is a non-profit organization that develops technology, standards, and education to serve the Canadian book industry. Founded in 2002 to address systemic challenges in the industry, BookNet Canada supports publishing companies, booksellers, wholesalers, distributors, sales agents, and libraries across the country. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Book Fund (CBF) for this project. / Nous reconnaissons l’appui financier du gouvernement du Canada par l’entremise du Fonds du livre du Canada (FLC) pour ce projet.
Media Contacts:
Liz Bartek
Marketing & Communications Manager
Book Industry Study Group
liz@bisg.org
(860) 575-0691
Ainsley Sparkes
Director, Research & Communications
BookNet Canada
asparkes@booknetcanada.ca
(416) 362-5057 x 2310