Read or Be Replaced: Why Reading Still Matters in the Age of AI

Read or Be Replaced

As recently as August 2026, I’ve received real paper-bound books as gifts. And for years, I have been giving books as gifts to my friends and loved ones.

I know the way we consume information is changing. We are moving more and more toward video, short-form content, and audio. And there is nothing inherently wrong with that. But I do worry about what happens when reading slowly disappears from our lives.

There is something different about sitting with a book. You have to imagine, concentrate, follow an idea, and stay with it. You aren’t constantly being prompted to swipe, click, or move on.

Reading also gives us something that is difficult to replicate: the opportunity to enter someone else’s world, experience another perspective, and let our own minds wander.

And perhaps most importantly, reading isn’t a natural human ability in the way spoken language is. It is something we learned as a culture, something we teach our children, and something we have to continue practicing.

So, in a world where video may increasingly become the default, how do we keep reading alive?

How to Reclaim the Joy of Reading

How about we bring back the beauty of reading paper books to our children? As George R.R. Martin said, “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.”

Here are a few strategies:

1. Lead by Example
Share what you’re reading and how it’s impacted you. Let your children see that reading is a valuable and enjoyable part of life.

2. Set Non-Judgmental Expectations
Instead of pressuring your child to read, gently encourage them. Say things like, “You’re so good with words; I think you’ll like this book.”

3. Choose the Right Books
Children often thrive with books that challenge their imagination. If they’re not interested in their current selection, they might be over- or under-challenged.

4. Create a Reading Routine
Dedicate time each day to reading, free from distractions. Make it a cozy, enjoyable ritual.

5. Embrace the Power of Stories
Use books to teach life lessons and spark conversations.

I don’t think we need to give up video, audio, or technology. We just need to deliberate in how we keep the tradition of reading alive, especially for our children.

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Featured image: Harvard Library, 2025

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On How To Write.

“To me, a short story is a conversation between writer and reader, since only the writer can speak, she must take care to respect the reader, to avoid telling him what to think, to say as little as possible and imply the rest with metaphor, ellipses, allusive dialogue, pauses.”

~ Edith Pearlman on Writing