Why tech companies are buying up tons of rare old books to train their AI models

Tech giants like Amazon are acquiring vast quantities of rare old books to fuel their AI models, a practice uncovered by Emanuel Maiberg's investigation. These books, often centuries old, are being digitized to enhance the vastness and depth of AI training data, raising concerns about the preservation of these historical texts. This move underscores the growing reliance on extensive data sets for AI advancement, but it also sparks debates about the ethical implications of using such precious resources. The trend highlights the intense competition in the tech world to edge out rivals through superior AI capabilities.