Digital media expansion, rising economic pressures and shrinking leisure time are contributing to a global decline in reading habits, with a new study showing that 40% of U.S. adults did not read a single book in 2025.
The findings come as April 23 is observed globally as World Book and Copyright Day, a date designated by UNESCO in 1995 to promote reading, publishing and the protection of intellectual property. The date carries symbolic literary significance, marking the deaths of William Shakespeare and Miguel de Cervantes, author of "Don Quixote."
Across the world, the day is marked with events aimed at encouraging reading culture and improving access to books. Since 2001, UNESCO has also named an annual World Book Capital to promote reading initiatives. Rabat, the capital of Morocco, has been selected as the 2025 World Book Capital.
A study conducted by the University of Florida and University College London, published in the journal iScience, found that daily leisure reading in the United States has declined by more than 40% over the past 20 years.
The decline has been especially pronounced among lower-income populations, rural residents and Black Americans, according to the research. Researchers cited several contributing factors, including the rise of digital media, increased financial pressures, reduced free time and unequal access to libraries and books.
A 2025 survey by polling firm YouGov found that 40% of U.S. adults reported not reading a single book during the year. Meanwhile, 19% said they read 10 or more books.
The survey also found shifts in format preferences: 46% of respondents preferred print books, while 24% used digital books and 23% listened to audiobooks.
Crime and mystery fiction ranked as the most popular genre at 21%, followed by history at 18%. Poetry was the least popular, at 4%.
Adults aged 65 and older were found to read more frequently than younger age groups.
Despite changes in reading habits, overall book sales in the U.S. have remained relatively stable. Data from the Association of American Publishers indicated that approximately 707 million print books were sold in 2025. Demand for adult fiction has increased, while e-book revenue has declined in recent years and audiobook revenue has grown steadily.
Data from the National Literacy Trust showed that only 32.7% of children and teens ages 8 to 18 said they enjoyed reading, the lowest level since 2005.
Daily reading among the same age group also fell to 18.7%, marking a 20-year low.
While 89.7% of children ages 5 to 18 reported having at least one book at home, about 10.3% said they did not own a book. Book ownership was higher among younger children ages 5 to 8 at 92.2%, compared with 89.4% among those ages 8 to 18, where ownership has declined to its lowest level in a decade.
As artificial intelligence systems increasingly rely on books and other written works for training data, copyright and “fair use” debates continue to intensify.
Experts say the inclusion of copyrighted books in AI training datasets without permission may harm authors and publishers by undermining intellectual property rights and deepening mistrust between creative industries and technology companies.
They also warn that existing regulations are struggling to keep pace with rapidly evolving AI technologies. Calls are growing for clearer data usage standards, expanded licensing frameworks and stronger international rules.
Experts emphasize that high-quality written content, particularly books, remains central to AI development, making the protection of authors’ rights essential for both cultural production and the long-term sustainability of the publishing industry.
