# AI companies are scanning and destroying old books

> Source: <https://boingboing.net/2026/07/30/ai-companies-are-scanning-and-destroying-old-books.html>
> Published: 2026-07-30 11:53:22+00:00

AI companies are [buying old books, scanning them and destroying the remains](https://www.404media.co/ai-companies-are-buying-tons-of-old-books-because-theyre-free-of-ai-slop/), writes Emanuel Maiberg at 404 Media. The program is enabled by ISBNdb, maintainers of a vast book database, which helps them buy vintage physical media in bulk: "The world's best AI training data is sitting on a shelf," its pitch reads. — [Read the rest ](https://boingboing.net/2026/07/30/ai-companies-are-scanning-and-destroying-old-books.html)

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