Latest news with #LondonBookFair
Gulf Today
31-03-2025
- Business
- Gulf Today
EPA sponsors 4 young publishers at 2 book fairs
The Emirates Publishers Association (EPA) continues to support and nurture the new generation of Emirati publishers, enabling them to represent the UAE at key international cultural forums and gain exposure to global best practices in the publishing industry. As part of this commitment, EPA has sponsored four graduates from the launch track of the Sharjah Publishing Sustainability Fund (Onshur) to participate in the London Book Fair and the Bologna Children's Book Fair, reinforcing its ongoing partnership with the programme to develop national expertise in the publishing sector. This initiative provides young Emirati publishers with direct field experience from some of the world's leading publishing houses, fostering their professional growth and expanding their industry networks. By engaging with prominent publishers and key players on a global scale, the young publishers gain invaluable insights that contribute to their career advancement, enriching the UAE's cultural landscape. The fair offers a unique opportunity for Emirati publishers to forge new partnerships with international counterparts. WAM EPA is participating in the Bologna Children's Book Fair, taking place from March 31 to April 3, 2025, where it has sponsored the participation of Fatema AlHammadi - Sohub Publishing & Distribution, a publishing house specialising in educational books for children with autism and inspiring stories for people of determination, as well as Dalal Al Jabri - Hzaya Personalised Books, which focuses on interactive and personalised children's literature. Additionally, EPA took part in the 51st edition of the London Book Fair, which concluded on March 13, 2025, supporting the participation of Shatha Nasser - Kairos Publishing, dedicated to translating classical literary works into Arabic, and Maryam Thani AlFalasi - Ghaim Publishing, which specialises in translated literature from Asian languages and seeks to enrich Arabic literature with diverse and inspiring narratives. Rashid Al Kous, Executive Director of the EPA, highlighted the significance of this initiative, stating, 'At the Emirates Publishers Association, we firmly believe that integrating young publishers into major international events is a strategic investment towards the future of the UAE publishing industry. These participations provide publishers with valuable insights into the dynamics of the global publishing market, introducing them to the latest trends and technologies shaping the future of the industry. This facilitates knowledge-sharing and cultural collaborations with publishers and creatives from around the world, reinforcing the status of Emirati publishers as active contributors to the global cultural landscape.'
Mid East Info
28-03-2025
- Business
- Mid East Info
Emirates Publishers Association Sponsors Young Emirati Publishers at London and Bologna Book Fairs - Middle East Business News and Information
The Emirates Publishers Association (EPA) continues to support and nurture the new generation of Emirati publishers, enabling them to represent the UAE at key international cultural forums and gain exposure to global best practices in the publishing industry. As part of this commitment, EPA has sponsored four graduates from the launch track of the Sharjah Publishing Sustainability Fund (Onshur) to participate in the London Book Fair and the Bologna Children's Book Fair, reinforcing its ongoing partnership with the programme to develop national expertise in the publishing sector. This initiative provides young Emirati publishers with direct field experience from some of the world's leading publishing houses, fostering their professional growth and expanding their industry networks. By engaging with prominent publishers and key players on a global scale, the young publishers gain invaluable insights that contribute to their career advancement, enriching the UAE's cultural landscape. EPA is participating in the Bologna Children's Book Fair, taking place from 31 March to 3 April 2025, where it has sponsored the participation of Fatema AlHammadi – Sohub Publishing & Distribution, a publishing house specialising in educational books for children with autism and inspiring stories for people of determination, as well as Dalal Al Jabri – Hzaya Personalised Books, which focuses on interactive and personalised children's literature. Additionally, EPA took part in the 51st edition of the London Book Fair, which concluded on 13 March 2025, supporting the participation of Shatha Nasser – Kairos Publishing, dedicated to translating classical literary works into Arabic, and Maryam Thani AlFalasi – Ghaim Publishing, which specialises in translated literature from Asian languages and seeks to enrich Arabic literature with diverse and inspiring narratives. His Excellency Rashid Al Kous, Executive Director of the Emirates Publishers Association, highlighted the significance of this initiative, stating: 'At the Emirates Publishers Association, we firmly believe that integrating young publishers into major international events is a strategic investment towards the future of the UAE publishing industry. These participations provide publishers with valuable insights into the dynamics of the global publishing market, introducing them to the latest trends and technologies shaping the future of the industry. This facilitates knowledge-sharing and cultural collaborations with publishers and creatives from around the world, reinforcing the status of Emirati publishers as active contributors to the global cultural landscape.' He added: 'Through these initiatives, we aim to cultivate an environment that encourages young talent to innovate and develop high-quality publishing projects with international reach. Expanding the presence of Arabic books in global markets remains a priority, and such engagements present valuable opportunities for strategic partnerships that foster translation and cross-cultural exchange. These efforts ultimately amplify the voices of Emirati and Arab creatives on the global stage, reflecting the UAE's vision of establishing itself as a key regional and international hub for publishing.' For her part, Iman Ben Chaibah, Director of Strategic Initiatives and Global Markets at the Sharjah Book Authority, stated: 'The selected winners of the Onshur programme have demonstrated great potential to grow as publishers, benefitting from the knowledge and supportive resources provided to them. Offering them the opportunity to attend international book fairs will accelerate their professional development and enhance their ability to produce distinguished books that contribute to the publishing scene in the UAE. This initiative is part of the shared vision of the Emirates Publishers Association and the Sharjah Book Authority through the Onshur Fund, led by Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Book Authority and Founder and Honorary President of the Emirates Publishers Association. The participating publishers expressed their deep appreciation for EPA's continuous support, extending their sincere gratitude to the association for this valuable opportunity. They emphasised that attending such prestigious book fairs is a pivotal step in their professional journeys, empowering them to explore international best practices, establish connections with industry leaders, and leverage expertise that will contribute to the advancement of their publishing projects. They also stressed on the role of these experiences in strengthening the UAE's publishing sector and enhancing its global competitiveness.
Sharjah 24
28-03-2025
- Business
- Sharjah 24
EPA sponsors Emirati publishers at London, Bologna Book Fairs
This initiative provides young Emirati publishers with direct field experience from some of the world's leading publishing houses, fostering their professional growth and expanding their industry networks. By engaging with prominent publishers and key players on a global scale, the young publishers gain invaluable insights that contribute to their career advancement, enriching the UAE's cultural landscape. EPA is participating in the Bologna Children's Book Fair, taking place from 31 March to 3 April 2025, where it has sponsored the participation of Fatema AlHammadi - Sohub Publishing & Distribution, a publishing house specialising in educational books for children with autism and inspiring stories for people of determination, as well as Dalal Al Jabri - Hzaya Personalised Books, which focuses on interactive and personalised children's literature. Additionally, EPA took part in the 51st edition of the London Book Fair, which concluded on 13 March 2025, supporting the participation of Shatha Nasser - Kairos Publishing, dedicated to translating classical literary works into Arabic, and Maryam Thani AlFalasi - Ghaim Publishing, which specialises in translated literature from Asian languages and seeks to enrich Arabic literature with diverse and inspiring narratives. His Excellency Rashid Al Kous, Executive Director of the Emirates Publishers Association, highlighted the significance of this initiative, stating: "At the Emirates Publishers Association, we firmly believe that integrating young publishers into major international events is a strategic investment towards the future of the UAE publishing industry. These participations provide publishers with valuable insights into the dynamics of the global publishing market, introducing them to the latest trends and technologies shaping the future of the industry. This facilitates knowledge-sharing and cultural collaborations with publishers and creatives from around the world, reinforcing the status of Emirati publishers as active contributors to the global cultural landscape." He added: "Through these initiatives, we aim to cultivate an environment that encourages young talent to innovate and develop high-quality publishing projects with international reach. Expanding the presence of Arabic books in global markets remains a priority, and such engagements present valuable opportunities for strategic partnerships that foster translation and cross-cultural exchange. These efforts ultimately amplify the voices of Emirati and Arab creatives on the global stage, reflecting the UAE's vision of establishing itself as a key regional and international hub for publishing." For her part, Iman Ben Chaibah, Director of Strategic Initiatives and Global Markets at the Sharjah Book Authority, stated: "The selected winners of the Onshur programme have demonstrated great potential to grow as publishers, benefitting from the knowledge and supportive resources provided to them. Offering them the opportunity to attend international book fairs will accelerate their professional development and enhance their ability to produce distinguished books that contribute to the publishing scene in the UAE. This initiative is part of the shared vision of the Emirates Publishers Association and the Sharjah Book Authority through the Onshur Fund, led by Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Book Authority and Founder and Honorary President of the Emirates Publishers Association. The participating publishers expressed their deep appreciation for EPA's continuous support, extending their sincere gratitude to the association for this valuable opportunity. They emphasised that attending such prestigious book fairs is a pivotal step in their professional journeys, empowering them to explore international best practices, establish connections with industry leaders, and leverage expertise that will contribute to the advancement of their publishing projects. They also stressed on the role of these experiences in strengthening the UAE's publishing sector and enhancing its global competitiveness.
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Is AI the publishing industry's friend or foe?
On 11 March, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman posted on X that he had prompted an AI model to write a metafictional literary story about AI and grief, concluding: 'What followed wasn't bad. I probably couldn't tell'. The implication was that the AI had attained human competence in the art of literary fiction… 'this is the first time i have been really struck by something written by AI; it got the vibe of metafiction so right." It's probably fair to assume that Altman hasn't spent much time around literary types. If he had, he may have been more careful in describing what most in the publishing industry consider an existential threat so overwhelming, that this year's London Book Fair in March – the industry's international annual festival of note – held a number of events dedicated to the topic. While AI is not sophisticated enough to replace human literary creators just yet, AI companies are working towards this goal, as evidenced by Altman's post. As AI models become more advanced they require exponential volumes of high quality training data, of which the publishing industry is a treasure trove. And in doing so, these AI companies are engaging in what has been described as 'the great copyright heist', a term coined by, CEO of the UK's Publishing Association, Dan Conway. During a panel discussion on AI regulation at the London Book Fair, Conway recounted how, when he first began his career in publishing around eight years ago, he had had a 'weird' meeting with the UK's Intellectual Property Office (IPO) about computer generated works provision. 'It felt like it was never going to be all that important. And now it's suddenly massively important,' he says. It's not true to say that no one saw AI coming, but on some level the publishing industry, already grappling with low profit margins, a macro shift to ecommerce and a declining reading public, did not. And it is now dealing with the fallout. Conway leads an industry organisation representing over 150 UK publishers, whose members are concerned about the UK government's proposal for a regulatory framework on AI copyright. A dearth of regulation specific to AI has seen technology companies, namely Big Tech, use the intellectual property (IP) of content creators to train their AI models at no cost. A government consultation was launched in December 2024 and proposals were delivered in Feb 2025. Against this backdrop, Conway has become the de facto 'face of the resistance' in the UK against the great copyright heist. Historically, regulation has always lagged behind innovation. While he believes the UK government's intention to establish a regulatory framework for AI copyright is well intentioned, 'the problem has been that the government alighted in the wrong place.' The government listened to AI companies and creators and essentially came up with a compromise position, something they call 'rights reservation', but provision to opt out of having their content hoovered up by large language models is just a conciliator form of IP protection. 'The problem with that, of course, is that there isn't a technological solution for an opt out and it's incredibly difficult, if not impossible, to enforce,' says Conway. 'So the worry of the industry, then, is, effectively, you're creating this complete wholesale reduction in the legal liability for tech companies to zero and saying, access everything, be that, books, journals, film, any kind of content that you want with rights holders, not be able to create that, not be able to police that or stop it,' he adds. Conway's position is that 'cracking copyright open wide' and offering creators the tech industry's version of transparency in return is far from a fair deal. But as sometimes happens in such highly polarising debates, his views on the topic are vastly more measured than headlines suggest. While Conway has been vocal about challenging proposals that endanger the livelihoods of creatives, he also acknowledges that the reality is far more nuanced. 'We're all using AI. It has incredible potential to make our businesses better, make our people more efficient, get more books into the hand of readers all around the globe,' he says adding that AI isn't simply wholesale copyright theft. The industry consensus seems to be that AI will become a friend or foe depending on the outcome of how it is regulated. Indeed, CEO of Hachette Book Group in the US and Hachette UK, David Shelley, told another panel at the London Book Fair that he reserves his optimism or pessimism about AI based on what legislation will be passed in future. 'Our business model only exists on the basis of copyright. Copyright didn't fall from the heavens, it's a human construct by lawmakers almost all around the world – and it works,' says Shelley. Big Tech companies like Meta and OpenAI have pursued the 'fair use' defence in copyright infringement legal proceedings claiming that copyrighted original content scrapped and used as training data is transformed to such an extent that it becomes new content that should not require a license. Authors disagree. John Grisham, Jodi Picoult and Jonathan Franzen, among others, have all launched lawsuits against OpenAI. And on this Shelley is clear: 'I think in my 27-year career there has never been a time when public affairs work has been more important, both in the UK and the US. Creative industries are saying to government that there are safeguards that need to be put in place and authors work has been illegally ingested into machine learning.' If the right regulatory balance is reached, then Shelley says AI could be positive for the industry. 'Where AI can help us get more author's work into the hands of more readers, that's probably a good thing. But where it competes with authors that's a bad thing – and there are some grey areas in the middle.' Broadly speaking, most booksellers will be innately prejudice against AI, even for cover design, says industry veteran James Daunt, founder of legendary independent bookseller Daunt Books, managing director of Waterstones and CEO of Barnes & Noble. 'How publishers will incorporate it [AI] will be interesting to see, perhaps at the back end of things like improving customer service for example,' he adds. In fact, the ways in which AI tools can assist existing workflows in the industry are endless. Aside from the obvious AI writing and editing tools to draft, proofread and summarise content, AI can help with visual content such as cover design and automated formatting. AI tools can help get readers with content classification, help publishers with metadata optimisation to get help their titles reach audiences, predict reader preferences and conduct reader profile analysis for better marketing and targeting of reading audiences. And, of course, AI tools for translation is an area that, when refined for accuracy, will transform the translation and distribution of content across borders. On the administrative side AI will provide the same benefits as it does in any industry in turbocharging mundane tasks, dealing with contracts, market research and more data driven business decision making. AI can assist in market research, recommend authors or creators, and repurpose existing content for different platforms. This, say techno optimists, will free up time for publishers to focus on the very business of creativity. And for the truly optimistic, AI tools may actually help to enforce IP and protect content creators from copyright infringements. While the publishing industry is understandably concerned about copyright, the technology industry, overall, continues to move fast and break things with the conviction that technology has the potential to improve every vertical no matter the distribution to its existing business model. At the launch of Google Cloud's audio generation model Chirp 3's availability on the company's Vertex AI cloud platform, Google DeepMind CEO and co-founder Sir Demis Hassabis effused about the application of AI tools for creative industries, saying he was excited about their potential. 'I think new types of tools will be a sort of new way of creating. I feel like the next era is going to be the creative talent embracing these technologies and it will become kind of superpower,' he says. Hassabis describes this process as a 10x of what creatives were able to do without AI tools. He describes how friends in creative leadership positions, for example, can now create an entire pitch for a new film in a matter of days for a few hundred dollars versus months of work to storyboard something similar. 'And I think that allows a lot more creativity to happen. So, I'm very excited about that,' says Hassabis. When questions were opened to the floor, at the event, the first topic was the thorny issue of IP protections for creatives. On this, Hassabis is positive about the UK's ability to come to a resolution because of its global stature both in AI development and the policies that are being discussed around managing it. 'This is a very important area that it's got to be clarified for the field,' says Hassabis acknowledging that Google uses open web data to train its models adding: 'We also have opt outs for people as well to take advantage of.' But the picture becomes far more complicated when considering that most training models draw on a global content pool. 'Models get trained in certain places and get deployed all over the place. They're used everywhere,' notes Hassabis highlighting the need for international standards on the issue. And it's here that the UK is in a strong position, according to Hassabis. 'We need to be at the forefront of the technology so that we can influence how it goes on the global stage.' Google's investment in DeepMind and its leading position in AI development has undoubtedly helped create a whole AI ecosystem in the UK. 'We are very strong if you compare us to European countries, for example. And I think that gives us an important voice at the table when this [AI copyright regulation] is going to be discussed.' The 2024 Bletchley summit established the UK's leadership role in global AI regulation. The Paris AI Action Summit in February also had regulation top of the agenda. 'I think these are really important forums for discussing these kinds of topics. And I'm sure there'll be an evolution of how this will work over the next few months,' says Hassabis. As tech companies continue their rapacious pursuit of training data, as regulators scramble, and creatives fight for their lives, the publishing industry approaches its King Canute moment of starting to fully comprehend the futility of railing against the rising tide of AI. Whether the industry can strike the right balance between AI optimism and AI resistance will inform how it mitigates the existential risk to its business while extracting potential value from the emerging technology. However, all may depend on forthcoming AI copyright regulation and, for the moment, uncertainty looms. "Is AI the publishing industry's friend or foe?" was originally created and published by Verdict, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
Gulf Today
18-03-2025
- Business
- Gulf Today
SBA reaffirms Sharjah's status as cultural powerhouse in UK
The Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) reaffirmed the emirate's standing as a cultural powerhouse with its participation in the 51st edition of the London Book Fair (LBF), at Olympia London. The fair, a key fixture in the global publishing calendar, brought together leading publishers, authors, and industry professionals from across the world, to exchange expertise, showcase their latest offerings, and explore new opportunities for collaboration. Sharjah's presence at the international event underscored its commitment to fostering international cultural exchange. SBA showcased the vibrancy of the UAE's publishing sector and the literary contributions of Emirati and Arab writers. It also strengthened ties between the region's creative industries and the global publishing community, highlighting SBA's initiatives to support the sector and forging new collaborations with international publishers. Commenting on the participation in the fair, Ahmed Bin Rakkad Al Ameri, CEO of the SBA, said, 'Sharjah's presence at the LBF is a key part of its annual agenda, as the event stands as one of the world's most prominent cultural gatherings, reflecting the global literary and publishing landscape. 'Each year, the emirate's participation highlights its achievements in the cultural sector, driven by the success of the Sharjah International Book Fair, which holds the world's largest book fair title for four years in a row in terms of buying and selling of copyrights, reaffirming Sharjah's pivotal role in supporting the global publishing movement and fostering cultural exchange between East and West.' Al Ameri added, 'Under the leadership of His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, the emirate has firmly believed that books are not only repositories of knowledge but also bridges of cultural exchange and instruments for promoting peace and bringing nations closer together. 'In line with this vision, and under the guidance of Sheikha Bodour Bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of SBA, we strived to represent the UAE in the best possible light at LBF. Our rich and diverse participation programme showcased our country's intellectual output, highlighted the experiences of local writers and publishers, and presented the cultural initiatives that have positioned Sharjah as a model for the Arab world and a global hub for intellectuals, cultural figures, and publishing industry leaders.' Sharjah's pavilion welcomed visitors and enthusiasts of Arabic literature, offering a curated selection of translated works in English. It also facilitated meetings between Emirati and international publishers to explore opportunities for collaboration. As part of SBA's pavilion, the Sharjah Literary Agency provided professional consultations on book marketing strategies and copyright protection. The agency played a crucial role in connecting authors, publishers, translators, and global book distribution channels. Furthermore, Onshur Fund highlighted its incentives and unique tracks designed to address the diverse needs of publishers at various stages of their professional journey. Over the course of three days, the authority held more than 40 meetings with distinguished international publishers. During these meetings, it engaged with representatives from Ingram, Atlantic Publishing, Publishers Weekly, Times - Singapore, Amazon MGM Studios, HarperCollins, Publishing Perspectives, Penguin Random House, Macmillan, Hachette, Oxford University Press, John Marshall Media, Sourcebooks, and other leading publishing houses. During LBF 2025, Sharjah introduced the newly renamed International Award for Arabic Children's Literature, formerly known as the Etisalat Award for Arabic Children's Literature. Organised in partnership with the UAE Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY) and e&, the award was part of a broader strategy to promote Arabic children's and young adult literature globally, spotlighting the creative talents of Arab authors, publishers, and illustrators while fostering new opportunities for collaboration in this field. As part of the emirate's delegation, the Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone showcased its state-of-the-art infrastructure to support business establishment, sustain publishing ventures, and facilitate global expansion. WAM
