Secondhand booksellers in UK and Ireland suspect AI firms behind ‘strange’ bulk orders
Development comes after Anthropic was found to have spent millions on books to scan for ‘data acquisition’ Secondhand booksellers in the UK and Ireland are reporting a flurry of bulk orders from mystery buyers, amid speculation AI companies are acquiring the tomes for their data. Bookshops contacted by the Guardian say they have been receiving orders from buyers in the US, Canada, continental…
Secondhand booksellers in the UK and Ireland are reporting a surge in bulk orders from anonymous buyers, leading to speculation that artificial intelligence firms may be the culprits. The orders, which began arriving three months ago, are unusual in that they lack a consistent theme, featuring a wide range of books spanning different genres and topics.
Stuart Manley, co-owner of Barter Books in Alnwick, Northumberland, has received orders for hundreds of books from three buyers, totaling approximately £4,000. Jim Shaughnessy, owner of MW Books in Claregalway, Ireland, also reported receiving large, varied orders since May. Booksellers in the US, Canada, continental Europe, and Australia have also reported similar incidents.
The orders are described as "sporadic" and "machine-driven" with little thematic cohesion. Some booksellers suspect AI companies are acquiring the books to scan their content before recycling them. Anthropic, a leading AI company, was found to have spent millions on books for data acquisition. However, Anthropic clarified that their book acquisitions are part of a broader approach to training large language models, and they do not specifically target rare or antiquarian books.
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