The app’s second version will include audiobooks, and a similar app for the Egyptian Music Library is in development. Artificial Intelligence will be used to translate more books.
Digital reading is far from new in Egypt, but this week saw the launch of a government-approved ebook app, ‘Kitab’, which per the press release houses over 2,000 books by more than 1,000 authors, covers a wide range of topics from literature and history to science and biographies.
Vision and Collaboration
Dr. Amr Talaat, Minister of Communications and Information Technology, said the ‘Kitab’ application represents a shared vision between the Ministries of Communications and Culture.
The app is a free, publicly available digital library featuring books provided by the Ministry of Culture, so safe to say it will not eat into the interests of the commercial digital books players operating n the country, and may well increase awareness and interest in digital reading, to the benefit of all.
Future Enhancements
The app’s second version will include audiobooks, and a similar app for the Egyptian Music Library is in development. Artificial Intelligence will be used to translate more books, expanding access for Egyptian and Arab researchers.
The View From The Beach
The latter point stands out. While western governments and publishers are struggling to find a middle way to accommodate the lucrative new world of AI and the old world of gatekeeper-led publishing dressed up as deep concern about authors’ interests (funny how this never manifests itself in better royalties), the emerging markets are rushing to take full advantage of what AI can bring to the publishing industry table.
