Turkish antiquarian bookseller skeptical of claims AI firms emptying Europe’s secondhand bookstores

Claims that artificial intelligence companies have been buying books in bulk from secondhand bookstores across Europe to scan them for AI training have sparked debate among booksellers, publishers and readers, but a veteran Turkish antiquarian bookseller says there is little evidence the practice is widespread.

Author, editor, publisher and owner of Turkuaz Sahaf, Nedret Isli, told Anadolu that he remains skeptical about reports that AI firms are emptying the shelves of antiquarian bookstores.

“I’ve been researching this from every angle, speaking with booksellers and collectors in both the UK and the Netherlands,” Isli said. “They told me this has not become a major issue in Europe. A friend living in the Netherlands also said the practice is neither widespread nor the subject of any significant public debate.”

He argued that claims suggesting AI companies purchase, scan and then destroy rare books do not make economic sense.

“These companies exist to make money,” he said. “Why would they buy a book, scan it and then destroy it?”

Isli noted that secondhand bookstores mainly stock out-of-print or scarce printed books, many of which already exist in libraries, universities and research institutes around the world.

“Because copies of these printed books are already preserved in major collections, it doesn’t seem logical to me that companies would destroy the copies they acquire,” he said.

He added that if such a phenomenon exists, it is driven by conditions specific to Europe rather than Türkiye’s secondhand book market.

Rare manuscripts already preserved

Turning to handwritten manuscripts, Isli said genuinely rare works are already held by major institutions.

He noted that after World War II, many European libraries, castles and research centers were dispersed, with significant collections eventually transferred to institutions in the US and elsewhere.

He cited German-born antiquarian bookseller Hans Peter Kraus, who emigrated to the United States after the war and acquired numerous valuable printed books and manuscripts from Europe before selling them to American libraries and research institutions.

“As a result, discovering an unknown manuscript in a European bookstore today is extremely rare,” Isli, said.

“When such a work does appear, it becomes a major event.”

Because of their high value, he said, purchasing such works solely to digitize and destroy them would be difficult to justify commercially.

“That simply doesn’t fit with a capitalist business model,” he said.

Cultural sensitivity amplifies concerns

Isli believes reports about AI companies buying books have resonated strongly in Türkiye because of the country’s sensitivity toward cultural heritage.

“We are highly sensitive when it comes to books, archives and cultural losses,” he said. “Even friends who have little connection with books asked me, ‘Nedret, what’s happening?'”

He joked that no AI company has yet approached his bookstore with plans for bulk purchases.

“So far, neither an AI company nor any other firm has made such a request,” he said.

Too early to assess AI’s impact

Isli said it is still too early to determine whether artificial intelligence will ultimately benefit or harm the antiquarian book trade.

“During the pandemic, online platforms and digital communication helped many secondhand bookstores survive,” he said.

While acknowledging that AI can produce inaccurate or misleading information, he suggested this could ultimately encourage people to seek reliable sources.

He added: “Perhaps AI will eventually lead more people back to bookstores like ours.”

He said it is too early to predict whether AI will prove beneficial or detrimental to the field.