Sadek will be a key speaker at the AI and Publishing Conference at the 56th Cairo International Book Fair (CIBF), which will take place from 24 January to 5 February.
Ahram Online: As a keynote speaker at the CIBF on how AI can revolutionize how books are promoted and matched with readers, and you have a book on this topic, could you explain more about this?
Nadim Sadek: That is what my book "Shimmer, don't Shake" is about. I mean, I wear two different hats in one role. As the author of this book, I am talking about how publishing can embrace AI, and as the CEO of an AI company, I help publishers advertise their books.
I have been involved with AI for about 15 years, and this experience helped me write the book.
Running this AI company, which is focused on publishing, has also helped me to write the book.
This perspective, combining academic research with practical industry experience, allows me to offer a comprehensive and insightful analysis of AI's impact on the publishing world.
I focus on how AI can revolutionize book promotion and reader matching. AI can personalize book recommendations, create targeted marketing campaigns, and help authors better understand their audience.
My book delves deeper into this topic, exploring the potential of AI.
AO: So, how can AI help authors, readers, and publishers?
NS: Well, AI can affect publishing in many ways. It is on a scale of efficiency all the way to liberation, if I can say that. AI can streamline numerous internal processes, including warehouse management, legal contract management, royalty payments, and manuscript qualification.
This enhances operational efficiency and reduces administrative burdens. It also helps publishers do their jobs better, almost internally.
However, I think the bigger impact comes from liberating creative talent.
While I believe AI should not be the primary author, it can be a powerful tool for creative professionals.
For example, in voice discovery, AI can assist authors in finding their unique voice, developing compelling concepts, and refining creative ideas through iterative processes.
You can consider it a research assistant. AI excels as a research tool, providing detailed information on various topics, from historical events and cultural nuances to specific locations and characters.
I envision AI as an invaluable creative companion, augmenting human creativity rather than replacing it.
AI can empower authors to tell richer, more compelling stories by providing access to vast amounts of information and facilitating the creative process.
AO: You mentioned the “book DNA.” Can you explain this in more detail?
NS: My company, Shimmer AI, aptly named for our mission "to bring books out of the dark into the light, and make it shimmer," leverages AI to revolutionize book marketing.
We operate through a three-step process. First, we do a deep book analysis. We begin by comprehensively analyzing the book using AI.
This involves structural analysis, identifying key plot points, themes, and genres (like a fishing story with a hidden murder mystery).
Then, we make a psychological analysis, uncovering the deeper emotional and psychological undercurrents, such as themes of revenge, love, ambition, and regret.
After that, we discover the book's DNA by creating a unique "fingerprint" for the book based on over 900 million data points, capturing its unique essence.
The AI-powered Creative Generation will take the next step. The "Analyzer" will then pass the book's unique DNA to the "Generator."
This AI engine crafts compelling advertising campaigns that accurately reflect the book's emotional and psychological themes, making them resonate deeply with potential readers.
Finally, the "Deployer" strategically distributes the generated advertising campaigns across relevant platforms (Meta, Google, Pinterest, and LinkedIn).
This ensures that the right messages reach the right audience, connecting readers with books that align with their interests.
AO: What about the reader's DNA? How do you match it with the book?
NS: Yes, essentially, we are matching the reader's DNA – their interests, preferences, and psychological tendencies – with the DNA of the book.
This personalized approach leads to significantly higher conversion rates. Our advertising campaigns often achieve purchase rates 10 times higher than industry averages.
This success stems from readers perceiving the advertised books as personally relevant.
By identifying and targeting readers interested in specific themes, such as revenge, love, and ambition, we present them with books that resonate deeply with their individual desires and interests.
This heightened sense of resonance encourages them to engage with the book and ultimately make a purchase.
AO: How can Shimmer's book DNA strategy help publishers promote under-reviewed books and inspire readers to discover and read unread books?
NS: AI is revolutionizing book advertising by disrupting traditional models.
Historically, advertising has been a resource-intensive endeavour, requiring significant time, capital, and creative talent.
However, AI streamlines this process by automating key aspects such as strategic planning. AI algorithms can analyze vast datasets to develop effective advertising strategies tailored to specific books and target audiences.
Moreover, Creative Campaign Development, where AI generates compelling ad creatives that resonate with readers' emotions and interests, reflects the book's unique DNA.
Then, AI optimizes ad placement across various platforms, ensuring maximum reach and engagement with the intended audience by precisely targeting the right audience with relevant messages.
AI-powered campaigns deliver higher engagement and conversion rates.
AI can also bring back into the spotlight "backlist" books — older titles that may have been overlooked.
By effectively showcasing the unique qualities of these books to the right audience, AI helps to rediscover and revitalize a wealth of literary treasures.
AO: But as AI depends on data, how can we deal with the challenges of the publishing industry's lack of real data?
NS: One of Shimmer AI's key strengths is our ability to generate effective advertising campaigns solely from the content within a book's cover.
We do not require additional data sources like metadata or reader demographics.
This approach offers several advantages. It is privacy-focused as we respect authorial privacy, avoid relying on potentially intrusive external data, and focus on the work.
Our analysis prioritizes the author's creation, ensuring the advertising accurately reflects the book's essence.
This method eliminates the need for preexisting data sets, making it applicable to a broader range of books, including those with limited marketing history.
So we do not have to struggle with the lack of data in the publishing industry.
AO: In the world of book publishing, there are some swings between those who see AI as a potential future and those who have concerns about copyrights being compromised by large language models. How do you see this?
I am deeply involved in discussions about copyright protection in the age of AI.
While speaking at the World Intellectual Property Organization's piracy and copyright protection conference, I actively advocate for authors' rights.
As an author, I understand the importance of copyright protection and its proper enforcement. The emergence of AI models presents new challenges.
While there have been numerous copyright infringement lawsuits in the US, a new trend is emerging: commercial agreements between publishers and AI model developers.
These agreements allow for the use of copyrighted material in AI training sets in exchange for a fee.
This approach is gaining traction, suggesting that AI models will eventually incorporate a significant portion of the world's copyrighted data.
While acknowledging potential past infringements, I believe the focus should now shift towards leveraging these powerful tools to benefit the publishing industry.
When publishers strategically utilize AI, they can increase their revenue by exploring new revenue streams.
This can also occur through licensing copyrighted material for AI training.
Additionally, AI can enhance author earnings by increasing the visibility and reach of their works, potentially leading to higher sales and royalties.
It can also improve reader experience by offering them more personalized and engaging reading experiences through AI-powered recommendations and interactive features.
I believe that with careful consideration and appropriate safeguards, AI can positively impact the publishing ecosystem.
AO: In your opinion, how long will it take for this new technology to catch on?
NS: We are on the cusp of a profound shift driven by the rapid advancement of AI.
CEO of OpenAI Sam Altman recently predicted the arrival of Artificial General Intelligence within 2025.
This is a significant acceleration from previous estimates and suggests AI with an intellectual capacity far surpassing human intelligence.
Furthermore, this year will likely witness a dramatic increase in AI adoption across various sectors.
We can expect to see a rapid implementation of AI-driven efficiency gains in numerous industries, including publishing.
So, the concept of AI as a creative tool for authors, assisting with idea generation, research, and even voice refinement, will become increasingly prevalent and accepted.
We should overcome copyright concerns; the publishing industry's problem is that it is outraged that copyright has been breached.
This makes us unable to see AI's real benefits. Over time, the publishing industry's initial focus on copyright infringement lawsuits may gradually shift.
However, as fair compensation models for using copyrighted data in AI training are established, concerns may subside, paving the way for a more collaborative approach.
I believe that the publishing industry can unlock new opportunities for creativity, innovation, and revenue growth by embracing AI as a partner and leveraging its potential.
People will start to see that AI is a construct of companions and allied intelligence.
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