Tech and Reading: The Role Technology Plays in Making Reading Accessible

Technology keeps evolving at an expeditious rate - to our joy as the house. We celebrate technological advancements at Zuri Manor House because tech provides access, reach and the ability to transmit information that could enlighten minds and improve lives. But how is technology changing the way we work?

The Looming Threat of AI?

None of our writing uses AI even if our editing process is digitised, our writing is still very much human and stems from imagination and lived experience. To us, that's our contribution to humanity and our way of connecting and learning from others. That said, we do not see AI as a threat - it is a vault of human knowledge and experience and provides speed to process which is something that any business owner can appreciate. Also, we believe that AI makes human generated arts and words that much more valuable and precious. Time used to create is more of an asset than ever.

Websites and AR

Augmented Reality is an opportunity to bring stories to life at the fingertips of users worldwide. Stories can be experienced with audiovisual support at the whim of those who write them as websites become more interactive and augmented and virtual reality work their way into becoming staples of practice within communication. Even beyond what we watch and listen to, technological advancements mean more and more opportunities to design relevant ways of storytelling that fit day-to-day living - something that can be made possible through collaborations with companies that specialise in tech.

Creative Rights & Artistic Freedom 

Creative licensing in the past has created a lot of grief for artists who turned to being represented by superpowers only to be betrayed. Tech ensures artists can access the fruits of their labour more directly than ever. This also presents the opportunity for new models of business to arise, which will always be healthy for an industry. More competition in ideas, process and product can't be frowned upon if an industry seeks to survive. 

A Place For Reading

Reading has tons of cognitive benefits so we do not  think publishing as we know it will die just yet. There is, however, a call to be more creative and gate keep less when it comes to the types of stories we share and how we share them. Time out and eyeballs to words on parchment hold mental health benefits that neuroscientific research continues to support, particularly when it comes to fiction and long length reading made available through novels. Still, the reading experience is evolving and publishers will benefit from being more creative in how they present their titles.

So you see, there is always room for written storytelling no matter how much the world changes. However, like all seasons and changes that life brings; publishers must be willing to evolve with the times to stay relevant and more importantly, innovate.