Milind Sudhakar Marathe, Chairman of the National Book Trust (NBT) has offered a compelling perspective on the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the world of publishing and authorship.
While acknowledging AI’s undeniable capabilities, he emphasised that it should be viewed as an enabler, rather than a replacement for human creativity in the literary world.
Marathe, who had served as a Professor of Electronics Engineering, elaborated how AI could assist with certain mechanical aspects of publishing, such as translation, without overshadowing the essential role of the author.
Talking to The Pioneer on the sidelines of the ongoing New Delhi World Book Fair (NDWBF), being organised by NBT, Marathe said, “According to me AI may not help authors. Because authors are the original creators of the text/idea/story. But if you look at the publication industry, many things which human beings are doing today, they are of mechanical nature. No brain is required.”
Citing an example, he said, “Suppose I have to translate a 300 page book, I have put a human being, who is a translator, he/she has put his/her work in a period of around one-three months. But, if I feed the complete text to the machine, controlled by AI, it will convert the 300 page book into the target language in 30 minutes.”
“However, this does not mean that the work is finished. The translation may be quick, but it requires human intervention to refine it—to structure the sentences, check for accuracy, and ensure the tone is correct,” the Chairman said.
Marathe noted that while AI’s translation capabilities may be impressive, but the final product still requires the nuanced touch of human expertise.
He also opined that, despite AI’s efficiency, it cannot replicate the essence of human intelligence.
“I feel we should not be afraid of AI, and also we should not be solely dependent on AI. Because, the name itself suggests that it is artificial intelligence, it’s not the real human intelligence. So, AI cannot replace real human intelligence. And that’s the reason, AI can be an enabler, but it cannot replace the author,” the Chairman said.
Marathe also shared key insights into the organisation's policies for enhancing access to books, especially those that remain under-reviewed or under-represented. He highlighted the importance of fostering a reading culture rather than simply focusing on the commercial success of books.
“Our policies are centered around inculcating a reading culture, so, we don’t specify the category of publishers. We concentrate on the readers,” he said.
In pursuit of this goal, Marathe said NBT has significantly ramped up its outreach efforts, organising regional book fairs and literary festivals across a broad range of locations,
He recalled the success of book fairs in cities like Pune, Shillong, Ladakh, Srinagar, and Lucknow, as part of an ongoing effort to engage readers in diverse regions.
“Our next big focus is going further, reaching the districts where the real growth of reading culture can happen. If we do not expand our reach to the district level, we will not be able to develop a truly widespread reading culture across the country,” said Marathe.
In addition to the physical book fairs and festivals, NBT has also ventured into the digital realm, with the launch of Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya, a digital library designed to provide free and easy access to a wide variety of books, he said.
Highlighting the significant challenges authors and publishers face today, Marathe pointed out two critical challenges impacting the publishing industry and the accessibility of books: changing reading habits, particularly among younger audiences, and the lack of accessible materials for differently-abled readers, especially the visually impaired.
“The attention span of the youth today has drastically reduced. A 300-page book can often seem like an obstacle for readers, especially those in the younger generation who are more accustomed to quick, digestible content,” he said.
To address this shift, Marathe said, “NBT is planning to create and promote shorter, more accessible books. We are looking at books in the range of 150 to 180 pages.
These books will be compact, yet packed with quality material, making it easier for anyone to pick up and start reading.”
The second, and perhaps more pressing, challenge highlighted by Marathe revolves around accessibility for blind and visually impaired individuals.
While NBT’s motto has always been “Books for All”, he pointed out that the availability of books in formats accessible to the blind remains limited.
