Living Books?
Over the years, the way I read books has changed.
I started off glued to one book at a time. Then came the rabbit holes: I’d pause mid chapter, Google something, and go off on a tangent. Now, with AI in the mix, I usually have the book open on one screen and an AI assistant on the other, asking it to explain, clarify, or dig deeper. It’s like reading with the author and a global research assistant.
But here’s the thing that’s been bugging me, especially with tech and AI books: They become outdated way too fast. By the time they’re printed, they’re often already behind. That’s why I think books, especially in fast-moving fields, need to to be “living”.
The idea of a Living Book.
It’s a book that grows and evolves, co-created by humans and AI, with periodic updates and contributions from a broader community.
Here’s one way it could work:
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Writing
- A human author drafts the genesis.
- Specialized AI agents (from different LLMs) and research capabilities propose updates based on new developments.
- A central reasoning models stitches the ideas together.
- Readers and experts contribute feedback (and get acknowledged!).
- The author reviews and approves major updates before they go live.
Reading
- You read the book alongside a contextual AI assistant.
- Ask questions, go down tangents, challenge ideas — all in one place.
- You get notified about key updates since your last read — like a changelog, but for thoughts.
Curious to hear what you think: Will you read a living book? or would this kill the joy of reading books?
I needed a guinea pig to try this out and since I couldn’t find anyone else I created a genesis. Working title is called “The AI-Native Leap: Rewiring Your Software Company for the Age of AI.” It’s aimed at helping leaders in established software companies navigate AI transformation and it’s being built as a Living Book. Right now, it’s with a small circle of early contributors for feedback after passing through an AI council review. If this excites you, I might have a few contributor slots left before opening it to the public. Just drop me a message.
