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Barnes & Noble CEO says chain sells some AI-written books
Barnes & Noble CEO James Daunt said the retailer would stock AI-written books if they are clearly labeled and do not claim to be written by a human author. He added that some of the chain's 300,000 titles may already be AI-generated.
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Barnes & Noble CEO James Daunt said the bookseller would sell AI-written books provided they are clearly labeled and do not pretend to be written by a human author. Daunt made the comments during an interview with TODAY's Jenna Bush Hager on May 18, 2026. He stated that the retailer has no objection to carrying such titles as long as they disclose their origin and meet basic quality standards.
2 billion. The chain has since expanded, opening 67 new stores in 2025 and planning 60 additional locations in 2026.
Daunt said it is plausible that some of the chain's 300,000 titles are already AI-generated. "We have 300,000 titles across all of our stores. Do we think that some of those may be AI? The chances are that they are, but we're not really conscious of them," he said.
He added that commercial success for AI-generated books currently appears limited. Daunt emphasized the importance of transparency about authorship and said the company would not stock titles that misrepresent their origin or copy existing works.
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