Write to Inspire consolidates QNLs role as a convenor of the local literary ecosystem – and positions Qatar within a conversation the global industry can no longer avoid.

A Pivotal Moment for Gulf Publishing

Qatar National Library (QNL) has concluded the third edition of its Write to Inspire: Books and Authors programme in Doha, convening authors, publishers and creative professionals under the theme Books and Authors in the Age of AI in Qatar.

The event highlights the Gulf regions growing engagement with a global debate that has acquired fresh urgency across the book trade.

From Theory to Practice

Rather than dwelling on abstract concepts, the programme foregrounded real-world experience.

A joint research paper, Gulf Novelists Attitudes Toward the Use of Artificial Intelligence in Novel Writing, presented by Dr. Lulwa Al Misned and Dr. Emad Abdul-Latif, offered rare empirical insight into regional author sentiment – a valuable contribution given how little Gulf-specific research currently exists.

Ethics at the Forefront

A panel on The Book Industry in the Age of AI: Opportunities and Challenges brought together Dr. Aisha Jassim Al Kuwari (CEO of Roza Publishing House), novelist Dr. Faisal Al Ansari, Turki Kareem Al Shammari of the Ministry of Culture, and Dr. Hamdy Mubarak of the Qatar Computing Research Institute.

Discussions ranged from creative boundaries to the practical integration of AI into publishing workflows.

Qatar Debate added an important dimension with a session asking whether a standardised, globally recognised label should be mandatory for AI-generated content – a question the industry worldwide has yet to resolve.

Why This Matters Now

The timing is significant. AI-assisted titles are already flooding the market: roughly four million books were published in the United States in 2025, a rise of more than 32 per cent on 2024, with at least three million self-published, making provenance difficult to trace.

Globally, the books market is valued by some estimates at around $162.6 billion for 2026 and is projected to reach approximately $216 billion by 2033. Meanwhile, major houses such as Penguin Random House, Pearson and Macmillan have been actively adopting AI-based technologies, signalling that the shift is structural rather than experimental.

A Bridge Between Tradition and Technology

Haya Al Sheeb, Senior Librarian at QNL, framed the library’s mission as bridging traditional publishing with emerging technologies while preserving authentic human creativity.

Write to Inspire consolidates QNLs role as a convenor of the local literary ecosystem – and positions Qatar within a conversation the global industry can no longer avoid.

This post first appeared in the TNPS LinkedIn newsfeed.