The Death of Discovery: Why AI Can’t Be Trusted to Choose What We Read
- Jan Zucker
- May 29
- 4 min read
How was your week? Mine? I’m angry and scared at the same time. Why, you ask? Keep reading to find out.
I’ve been doing much thinking about where we’re headed—and what we’re losing along the way. As much as I think AI is a game changer, there are areas I consider TABOO! Here’s #1 on that list.
Recently, I’ve noticed a surge of enthusiasm surrounding AI-powered reading tools. “Smarter, faster, more efficient,” they say. “Why read a whole book when AI can summarize it for you?” Platforms like BooSum promise to cut through the clutter and give you just the good stuff.
Sounds helpful, right?
Except it’s not.
As someone who has spent decades in publishing, I can tell you that what these tools are calling “irrelevant” is often the soul of the story.
What We Lose When AI Reads for Us
It starts small—skip a few descriptive paragraphs here, trim some background there. But pretty soon, you’re not reading a book anymore. You’re reading a machine’s idea of what’s important. No voice. No mood. No mess. Just bullet points and takeaways.
Here’s what gets lost in the process:
The sentence that hits you like a punch in the chest
The throwaway line that becomes a lifelong philosophy
The slow build that makes the payoff worth it
The feeling that you’re inside someone else’s mind, not a software manual
These aren’t bugs of real reading, they’re the features.
Why It Matters for Publishing—and All of Us
AI tools aren’t just distilling content, they’re sterilizing it. When algorithms decide what matters, they flatten voices, erase risk, and chip away at what makes literature feel human.
We’ve seen what happens when platforms take control of discovery: they push sameness. They prioritize trends. And the authors who don’t fit the mold? They vanish from view.
Now imagine AI doing that with your reading list. With your bookshelf. With your mind.
And if you’re thinking, “Jan, this sounds dramatic,” maybe. But look around—books are already being shaped to survive the algorithm. Faster intros. Cleaner structure. Simpler language.
It’s not just content that’s being optimized. It is the creators.
This Isn’t Just a Publishing Issue. It’s a Human One.
In the rush to “simplify reading,” new tools are gutting the soul out of the experience. They reduce books to bullet points. They flatten nuance. They tell your audience, “Don’t worry about reading the whole thing—here’s what we think is important.”
That should terrify every creator.
Because when discovery is handed over to machines, the richness of your voice, your pacing, your style gets lost.
And when that’s gone, what’s left?
Commodity content. Disposable ideas. Forgettable impressions.
Reading has never been about efficiency. It’s about getting lost. Slowing down. Getting uncomfortable. Coming out the other side changed.
When AI tools start telling us what we can skip, they’re not just editing books. They’re editing our attention. Our empathy. Our ability to sit with complexity.
And most people won’t even notice what they’ve lost—until it’s gone.
So, What Do We Do?
We resist the shortcut.
At DCCVanguardian, we believe in publishing that preserves the full human experience. That’s why our first imprint, The Influencer is the Message, isn’t just about books; it’s about control. It’s about legacy. It’s about making sure your voice doesn’t get flattened by someone else’s idea of what matters.
We’re not just publishing books. We’re building platforms of permanence. Giving creators a way to own their content, protect their influence, and make sure their ideas survive—even when the algorithms forget them.
And this fight isn’t just creative, it’s legal.
Upcoming Roundtable: Protecting Your Content in the Age of AI
🗓️ June 5, 2025, | 🕛 12:00 Noon EST
We fight smarter.
Join us for a critical conversation with Paul Gerbino, President of Creative Licensing International and a veteran in media, publishing, and content rights.
You’ll learn:
How to protect your IP from scraping, theft, and misuse
Why creators need licensing, not likes
What the fine print of platforms means
How AI can help or hurt—depending on who controls the data
Why collaboration is your best defense
This is the room to be in if your livelihood depends on your content.
Let’s not be erased. Let’s build something that lasts.
Warmly,
Whenever you're ready, there are 3 ways Digital Content Creators can help you:
Book Production: Our expert team ensures your book is professional, attractive, and competitive. We handle everything from design to distribution, delivering on time and within budget. With rapid turnaround and access to major sales platforms, DCC transforms your manuscript into a market-ready masterpiece. Let us bring your vision to life!
eLearning Course Development: Turn your expertise into powerful eLearning courses that scale your business and generate passive income. Our instructional and graphic designers convert your knowledge into engaging, interactive courses. We create custom courses that resonate with learners and deliver learning outcomes. Let DCC bring your knowledge to life!
Social Content OS: We install a customized Human2AI Marketing Operating System for content creation and post publishing, scaling your influence across multiple channels. Plan, generate, edit, repurpose, and publish content at record speeds. Let our content machine 10x your output so you can focus on networking, relationships, and other areas of your business.
Commenti