The rise of self-publishing has revolutionized the way authors share their work with the world, bypassing traditional gatekeepers in the publishing industry. Now, in a bid to keep up with the modernization of the industry, the self-publishing platform Booksie is embracing blockchain and artificial intelligence (AI).
In an interview with Cointelegraph, Sol Nasisi, the founder and CEO of Booksie, shared his vision for the future of self-publishing, built on the powerful combination of these emerging technologies.
Blockchain, which offers transparency and ownership for authors, is not a new concept in the publishing industry. In fact, in 2018, the Alliance of Independent Authors launched “Blockchain for Books,” an awareness campaign highlighting the potential of blockchain technology in publishing. This campaign resulted in the creation of a guidebook called “Authors and Blockchain.” The core principle of blockchain, a shared public ledger, can enable authors to regain control of their work and access valuable data.
Nasisi explained that as more of the traditional web becomes closed off in “walled gardens,” blockchain can provide authors with an alternative avenue to sell their books. Beyond financial benefits, blockchain also empowers authors to protect their work, as the immutability and transparency of blockchain can help authors prove their ownership, which is particularly important in an era increasingly concerned with AI-generated content.
While accessible AI has become more prevalent across various industries, authors have had concerns about the technology’s potential misuse of their work. Lawsuits have been filed against companies like Meta and OpenAI for allegedly using copyrighted material without permission to train their AI systems. However, Nasisi emphasized that AI should be seen as a tool to aid authors rather than a replacement or exploitation of their work. Booksie’s AI bot integration, for example, is designed to assist writers by providing feedback on their fiction and non-fiction works.
Looking at the combined potential of blockchain and AI, Nasisi believes that these two technologies will fundamentally change how the publishing industry operates in the next decade. He envisions a future where writers can combine their creativity with AI and blockchain to create entire worlds across multiple mediums and interact with fans in innovative ways. This future could involve authors using AI assistance to write a book and then utilizing blockchain to create limited-edition versions, video series, games, and merchandise based on the story’s world, all while maintaining ownership and transparency throughout the process.
The impact of this technological convergence extends beyond publishing, with Nasisi highlighting other industries that are ripe for disruption. He compares blockchain and AI to yin and yang, as they feed off each other and create a new paradigm. Booksie and its partner, Chainletter Labs, are actively working towards this vision, and Nasisi concludes that the publishing industry will never be the same.
With blockchain and AI leading the way, self-publishing is set to empower authors in unprecedented ways, opening up a future filled with exciting possibilities for creators and readers alike.