World's largest open library calls for volunteers to scan and preserve physical books as AI companies buy, scan, and destroy them — Anna's Archive says ‘time is running out’ as ‘knowledge is permanently monopolized on private servers’
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As AI tech companies increasingly buy and destroy books to feed to their AI models, Anna's Archive is calling for volunteers to help preserve them for the public record.

cross-posted from: https://kbin.earth/m/[email protected]/t/3120649

As AI tech companies increasingly buy and destroy books to feed to their AI models, Anna’s Archive is calling for volunteers to help preserve them for the public record.

  • Smoogs@lemmy.worldEnglish
    0·
    2 days ago

    destroying (A) physical copy. in order to copy the (1) copy of a book(which most already exist as pdf). kinda like how people do it when they scan the book.

    far cry from “destroying all books” which these rage bait titles.

    bigger tragedy is how humans seem shittier at communication as AI learns. probably a more accurate title.

    • KairuByte@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
      0·
      1 day ago

      There are many, many non destructive scanning methods. My understanding is that most archival projects are using the non destructive options.

      The easy option is to just slice off the binding and run it through a scanner.

      The easy option is what is being talked about here, and those books are then fed into AI as training material. The digital copies aren’t “making knowledge permanent” as they are tucked away into a digital corner virtually no one has access to. They are as permanent as the source code for Fortnite.

      If a PDF already exists, as you claim, then why go to the trouble of obtaining, destroying and scanning the books again?

      • Smoogs@lemmy.worldEnglish
        0·
        17 hours ago

        There’s also Kobo… Kindle… epubs…

        Not just pdfs.

        Heck you can get audio books. Most books are now sold with recording.

        This has been happening for decades.

        Are all you people complaining here just not book readers and just here for pure out rage?

        • KairuByte@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
          0·
          16 hours ago

          Ok? That doesn’t answer my question, if anything it makes it more obvious how you are incorrect:

          If a [insert digital format name] already exists, as you claim, then why go to the trouble of obtaining, destroying, and scanning the books again?

          Your response reads like there are more options than just PDF, so it’s fine to destroy the books.