This week, I shared the bookshelf section of this website and my habit of reading a book a week with someone. They asked why I read so much when I could use AI to give me the gist of books I’m interested in. They argued that it’s more time-efficient to leverage AI because I can cover more material faster. That argument is valid, but replacing books with AI summaries would prevent me from getting some of the biggest benefits I receive from reading books.

Here are a few reasons why I think reading long-form material like books is worthwhile for me:

• Focus – Reading is like exercising my brain’s ability to focus. Reading for an hour or two every day requires me to focus for long periods of time. My ability to focus (which, in today’s world, I consider a valuable and increasingly rare skill) has been greatly enhanced.
• Self-education – Reading is the best form of self-education for me. I get to consume the wisdom and learnings of others at a pace that I choose. The ability to self-learn anything and apply it is a superpower and can lead to outsize success.
• Spotting patterns – When I’m immersed in a book, I see patterns between it and other books I’ve read. These patterns have led to insights that I otherwise would not have found. When I consume summaries of books, I don’t spot patterns as easily.
• Stories – A lot of what I read is biographies and historical recounts. The stories are what stick with me, not the facts or the outcomes.
• Relaxing – Reading books is my default activity when I want to relax and decompress.
• Stimulation – After I finish a reading session, I always feel mentally stimulated. I’m thinking about what I read and feeling like I grew a small amount. I enjoy mental stimulation and the feeling that I’m continually growing. I don’t get that same feeling from other leisure activities.

This isn’t a comprehensive list. I enjoy reading books for lots of other reasons. But it gives you an idea why technology won’t replace (although I’m OK with it enhancing) my reading books.