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Books as Data
Trends
- 1OpenAI Staff Called Book-Pirating Plans 'Sketchy AF', Report Says●‘Sketchy AF’: What to Know About How OpenAI Staff Discussed Book-Pirating
A Wall Street Journal report reveals internal discussions among OpenAI staff about using pirated books to train AI models, with employees themselves describing the practice as 'sketchy AF'. The report adds to ongoing lawsuits and criticism over how AI companies obtain copyrighted material without permission from authors and publishers.
- 2Unsealed Briefs Reveal Executives Knew of Book Piracy in Authors' Case●Unsealed Briefs in Authors’ Case v. Microsoft/OpenAI
Newly unsealed court filings in the Authors Guild's copyright lawsuit against Microsoft and OpenAI indicate top executives were aware that large-scale use of pirated books to train AI models was legally questionable. The documents suggest internal knowledge that training data included copyrighted works without permission. The revelations are drawing attention because they could strengthen claims of willful infringement, which carry higher damages, in one of the most closely watched AI copyright cases.
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News.com.au reports a warning over a passport data breach at a hotel, raising concerns that guests' passport details may have been compromised. Travel document data is a prime target for identity fraud, and hotel booking and check-in systems have repeatedly been exploited in past breaches. Travellers are being urged to stay alert to possible misuse of their personal information.
- 4Business travel confidence hits 2026 high, says GBTA●Business travel confidence rebounds to highest level of 2026: GBTA
The Global Business Travel Association reports that confidence in the business travel sector has rebounded to its highest level of 2026. The finding signals improving sentiment among corporate travel buyers and suppliers after a softer period earlier in the year. Industry observers are watching whether stronger optimism translates into higher corporate travel spending and booking volumes in the coming quarters.
- 5Data Breach Leaves FBI Scrambling as Russian Attacks Destroy Millions of Books●Huge Data Breach Leaves F.B.I. Scrambling, and Russian Attacks Destroy Millions of Books https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09
The New York Times reports a major data breach that has left the FBI scrambling to respond, alongside Russian attacks that have destroyed millions of books, apparently in Ukraine. The story, featured in the paper's headlines podcast, is drawing attention for combining a major cybersecurity incident with the wartime destruction of cultural heritage. Details of the breach's scale and targets, and the exact location and nature of the book destruction, are not yet clear from the report.
- 6Sustainable Energy Without the Hot Air Resurfaces Online●Sustainable energy without the hot air (2008)
David MacKay's 2008 book 'Sustainable Energy Without the Hot Air' is drawing renewed attention. The free online book offers a numbers-driven analysis of Britain's energy options, weighing renewables, nuclear and efficiency without ideology. Readers are praising its clear, quantified approach to the energy transition, arguing it remains remarkably relevant nearly two decades after publication as countries grapple with decarbonisation targets.
- 7Swiss libraries put 140 million pages of books online●RE: https:// rbfirehose.com/2026/09/27/univ ersity-of-basel-140-million-pages-of-knowledge-history-accessible-online-fou
Four Swiss libraries, led by the University of Basel, have launched a platform called Books as Data, making roughly 140 million pages of digitised historical texts freely accessible online. The database, available in English at books-as-data.ch, opens centuries of printed knowledge to researchers and the public as machine-readable data.
- 8Arkestro Co-Founder Edmund Zagorin Releases New Book on Predictive Supply Chains▼Arkestro Co-Founder and Procurement Expert Edmund Zagorin Launches Latest Book, The Predictive Enterprise: How Superhuman Supply Chains Transform Global Business
Edmund Zagorin, co-founder of procurement technology firm Arkestro, has launched his new book, The Predictive Enterprise: How Superhuman Supply Chains Transform Global Business. The book argues that predictive, data-driven approaches are reshaping how companies manage procurement and supply chains worldwide, and is aimed at business leaders navigating digital transformation in global operations.
- 9New Book 'Gouged' Exposes High-Tech Corporate Pricing Tactics▼NEW BOOK: Gouged Blows Open the High-Tech Corporate Pricing Playbook Draining Americans’ Wallets
A new book titled 'Gouged' has been released by the Groundwork Collaborative, examining how high-tech corporate pricing practices are draining American consumers' wallets. The book claims to reveal the playbook companies use to inflate prices, pointing to algorithmic and data-driven pricing strategies as a growing burden on household budgets.
- 10Ocean Edge Resort Expands Travel Outlook Partnership for Personalized Booking●Ocean Edge Resort Expands Travel Outlook Partnership to Personalize Guest Reservations From the First Phone Call
Ocean Edge Resort, the Cape Cod resort, has expanded its partnership with hospitality call-center firm Travel Outlook to personalize guest reservations starting from the first phone call. The move means reservations agents will have better tools and guest data to tailor the booking experience before arrival. Industry trade coverage highlights the deal as an example of how hotels are investing in guest service from the earliest point of contact.
- 11Arkansas third state to add Rapid DNA at booking stations●Arkansas becomes third state to launch Rapid DNA technology at booking stations
Arkansas has become the third US state to deploy Rapid DNA technology at booking stations, allowing law enforcement to analyze DNA samples from arrestees within about 90 minutes instead of the weeks required by traditional lab processing. The technology is intended to speed up suspect identification and confirm matches against criminal databases, though civil liberties groups have raised privacy concerns about the collection of genetic data from people not yet convicted of crimes.