Picture the scene. You’re walking around Waterstones in Norwich and see a bestseller which catches your eye. You read the synopsis and are intrigued, then you notice a disclaimer on the back that states the book was partially written using artificial intelligence.

It seems so far from our understanding of publishing as to seem impossible…but is it? 
 
Romantasy is currently booming in the publishing market, with four romantasy titles appearing in the UK Top 20 bestselling books of 2025.

Although, the publishing industry is constantly changing, so what could the future hold? Inevitably, AI is front and centre. 
 
In an interview in December 2025, Waterstones CEO James Daunt said: “And if people want to read that book, AI-generated or not, we will be selling it – as long as it doesn’t pretend to [be] something that it isn’t”.

Daunt also speculated that “Who’s to know? [Technology firms] are spending trillions and trillions on AI and maybe it’s going to produce the next War and Peace”. 
 
Although Hachette recently pulling Shy Girl by Mia Ballard from sale creates a conflict between the stance of big five publishers and retailers on AI.

This literary tug of war will likely define the next decade or more, and something’s got to give, either in favour or against AI.  
 
But is the future of publishing really so…dystopian? Emerging genres like hopepunk and solarpunk provide solace. 

These genres act as an antidote to anxieties around the climate crisis and the pervasive influence of tech and AI on our everyday lives, with such narratives offering hopeful counterpoints to darker speculative fiction, attracting readers seeking more optimistic visions of the future.  
 
Influencers on TikTok have amplified such emerging genres to young readers, reinventing how publishers can promote titles. 

Instead of the conventional billboard or print ads of old, influencers create connections with their followers, replicating the familiarity of a recommendation from a friend where conventional advertising failed.

More than 11 million book sales in the UK in 2025 were attributed to BookTok, generating £86 million in revenue, and publishers are continually searching for new ways to engage with potential readers on a more personal level. 
 
Recently, gaming giant PlayStation announced it would stop creating physical disks for games from 2028.

With digital publishing revenue growing 7% in 2025, reaching £3.6 billion, driven largely by digital formats including e-books and audiobooks, could the future of publishing be heading in the same direction? 

Audiobooks are currently the fastest growing digital format in the industry because of the convenience they provide.

With younger readers growing up increasingly accustomed to digital subscriptions and smartphone media, the way that books are accessed will have to continue to evolve. 

Whilst nobody can predict for certain what the future of publishing will look like, technological advancements and constant changes in how we experience the stories of books mean the publishing industry is on the cusp of entering a brave new world.  

Featured image credit: Samuel Haines