In an Era Where AI Reads Everything for Us, Why Do We Read?... "Reading the Future" Questioned by 10 Million Readers

Celebrating Its 10th Anniversary, "Reading the Future" Conference Held at COEX
Experts in Philosophy, Data, Cognitive Psychology, and Literature Gather
10 Million Subscribers and 19.87 Billion Minutes of Reading—A Decade of Data Traces Shifts in Reading Habits
From Smart Glasses Experiences to AI Reading Strategies
"Beyond Summaries: Reading That Cultivates Questions and Expands Thinking"

This is an era in which AI can summarize an entire book in just a few seconds and provide instant answers to questions. However, on the morning of September 3 at the COEX Auditorium in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, people gathered to consider a contrary question: "Why do we need to read?" On a large screen at the front of the venue, the phrase "Reading the Future" was displayed, while outside in a yellow exhibition space, visitors tried out smart glasses while holding open books. The sight of paper books, e-books, and artificial intelligence all coexisting in a single space encapsulated the core question of the event.

On the 3rd, the auditorium view of the KT Millieosjae 10th Anniversary Conference 'The Future of Reading,' held at COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Experts from various fields such as philosophy, data, cognitive psychology, and literature gave lectures and conversations on the value of reading and thinking in the AI era. KT Millieosjae

The theme of the "Reading the Future" conference, organized by KT Millie's Library to mark its 10th anniversary, was "A Blueprint for Reading Illuminated in the Middle of the AI Era." The question that ran through the event was simple: Is reading still necessary for humans, even in an age when machines provide all the answers for us? Despite the high ticket price of KRW 100,000, the early bird tickets sold out quickly, and on that morning, the auditorium seats were packed with participants. It was a scene that demonstrated both a sense of crisis and a keen interest surrounding "reading" in the AI era.

Jeong Jae-wook, CEO of Millie’s Library, was the first to respond. In his opening keynote, CEO Jeong observed that over the past decade, reading has shifted "from ownership to access," "from searching to discovering," "from focusing to everyday engagement," "from a single format to diverse formats," and "from reading alone to reading together." He explained that the act of choosing and owning a book in a bookstore has now expanded into connecting with content when needed, consuming it in various forms like audiobooks, webtoons, and web novels, and sharing thoughts with others as part of everyday experiences.

At the end of this transformation, AI has entered the scene. Tasks such as searching, reading, and summarizing content—once performed by individuals—are now largely handled by AI. Paradoxically, CEO Jeong predicted that in such a context, human reading would evolve from "information acquisition" into an experience centered on questioning, thinking, and understanding others and the world. "AI is not a technology that replaces reading, but a tool that assists with discovery, understanding, and the expansion of thought," he explained.

He outlined five ways reading will look in the future: 'Omni Reading'—reading without limitations of device or place; 'Reading Fit'—reading tailored to personal preferences, with AI helping users discover appropriate books; 'Reading Talk'—expanding thinking through conversation with AI; 'Reading Mate'—sharing thoughts among readers; and 'Reading Alliance'—collaborative reading that connects authors, publishers, platforms, and readers. The vision was not limited to book summaries produced by AI, but suggested an integration of technology into all aspects of the reading experience before and after reading itself.

View of the "Reading the Future" conference held on the 3rd at COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, celebrating the 10th anniversary of KT Millie's Library. Experts from various fields including philosophy, data, cognitive psychology, and literature gave lectures and engaged in discussions on the value of reading and thinking in the AI era. KT Millie's Library

The backdrop for Millie’s outlook is a decade’s accumulation of reading data. Since launching its e-book subscription service in 2016, Millie’s Library has grown to a cumulative 10 million subscribers and offers approximately 240,000 pieces of content. The total number of books users have added to their libraries has surpassed 270 million, with a cumulative reading time of 19.87 billion minutes. On average, each member reads 6.8 books per month. The formats have also expanded—from e-books to audiobooks, webtoons, and web novels.

The conference was not just a celebration of a decade’s growth, but an opportunity to further explore the question, "What does reading mean for humans after AI?" Philosopher Kim Jae-in examined "how to survive as humans who cannot be replaced by AI" through language, while data expert Anna Rosling spoke about "the questioning reader." In the afternoon, cognitive psychologist Kim Kyung-il delivered a lecture on "Reading Therapy," followed by novelist Eun Hee-kyung, editor Park Hye-jin, webtoon artist Lee Jong-beom, and stand-up comedian Won So-yun, each exploring the relationship between reading and creative work. The final segment included a discussion featuring novelist Kim Cho-yeop, literary critic Shin Hyeong-cheol, and translator Hong Han-byul.

The official materials released by Millie’s Library on the day further echoed this purpose. The event aimed to examine how the value of reading and thought is changing amid the spread of AI, using perspectives from philosophy, data, cognitive psychology, literature, and more.

A hands-on zone outside the venue offered visitors the chance to experience the reading environment of the future firsthand. A wall carried the phrase, "Where your eyes reach, the future of reading unfolds," and participants used smart glasses and digital devices to try out new forms of reading. Millie’s Library predicted that the reading experience would continue to expand—encompassing paper books, e-books, audiobooks, AI, and other converging technologies.

Throughout the conference, experts in philosophy, data, cognitive psychology, and literature delivered lectures and participated in discussions. These included Professor Kim Jae-in from Kyung Hee University, data expert Anna Rosling, cognitive psychologist Professor Kim Kyung-il, and a panel discussion with novelist Kim Cho-yeop, literary critic Shin Hyeong-cheol, and translator Hong Han-byul. Through this event, Millie’s Library intends to reflect on the changes in reading habits over the past decade and explore the future direction of reading culture and services in the AI era.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.