TAIPEI (Taiwan News) —  Linking Publishing Company publisher and editor Lin Tsai-chueh (林載爵) called on fellow industry colleagues to be prepared as AI makes waves in the sector.

In a CNA interview, Lin said that over a decade ago, many predicted the “death of publishing” with the rise of the Internet and ebooks. “However, the reality has proven otherwise: print has not died, and printed books in Europe and the U.S. are even seeing a resurgence,” he said.

“While Taiwan’s publishing industry faces challenges, publishers are still holding their ground and striving for breakthroughs,” Lin added.

Speaking about AI, Lin said that although AI-generated content will help publishers, it still comes from a vast database. “The content from this database cannot be presented directly to readers. It must go through rigorous checks and be reorganized, verified, and edited by professional editors,” he explained.

In terms of milestones, Lin noted that “Tear Down the Great Wall” by Li Chia-tung (李家同) has sold nearly 500,000 copies, and “Thousand Moons on a Thousand Rivers” by Hsiao Li-hung (蕭麗紅) has been reprinted 94 times, setting a record and becoming an unforgettable memory for many readers, reported CNA.

While acknowledging the decline of the publishing industry, Lin said Linking has always focused on the humanities and social sciences. It has built a solid reader base over the years, even though the economic situation and readers’ habits have changed, he said.

“Despite changes over the past 50 years and what new developments people pursue, Linking has always stood on the foundation of valuing humanistic values,” Lin asserted. “As long as these values exist, readers will be there.”