AI in Publishing 2026: What the Data Tells Us

This summer, the Book Industry Study Group (BISG) and BookNet Canada gathered 771 responses from book industry professionals across the U.S. and Canada for the second annual AI Use Across the North American Book Industry survey, building on the research launched by BISG’s AI Working Group in 2025.

Join BISG Executive Director Allison Belan and BookNet Canada President and CEO Lauren Stewart as they share the results and explore what has changed in just one year.

READ THE 2026 REPORT HERE

One of the clearest shifts is happening at the organizational level: 63% of respondents said their organization is using AI in 2026, up from 48% in 2025. At the same time, individual use declined to 38%.

Larger organizations are increasingly developing policies, training, and controlled workflows around AI, even as concerns about copyright, creators, jobs, security, sustainability, accuracy, and trust remain widespread.

During this session, Allison and Lauren will examine where AI is being used today, how approaches differ by organization size, how policies and governance are evolving, and what publishing professionals say they need to navigate AI responsibly.

They’ll also dig into an important tension in the findings: while 72% of professional AI users said the technology has improved their efficiency or productivity, respondents overall were much more likely to favor staying informed about AI’s evolution than to advocate for broader adoption.

Whether your organization is actively implementing AI, still experimenting, or approaching it cautiously, this session will provide a data-driven look at an industry moving beyond the question of whether AI is being used toward the more difficult questions of how, where, and if it should be used.

Who Should Attend:
Publishers, distributors, service providers, retailers, librarians, educators, authors, independent professionals, and anyone interested in how AI is reshaping the North American book industry.

Join us to see where the industry stands in 2026—and what the data suggests should come next.

BISG and BookNet Canada extend their gratitude to BISG AI Working Group members for their work in the design of the first version of this survey, writer Jarin Pintana, and the organizations and individuals that helped share the survey with their members and networks.

Join the Conversation

Interested in helping shape the industry's response to AI beyond the survey?

BISG's AI Working Group brings together professionals from across the publishing ecosystem to discuss emerging developments, share experiences, and identify opportunities for industry collaboration. We welcome your participation. To join, e-mail info@bisg.org to express your interest and get on the mailing list for meeting invites, agendas, and other key communications.