The New Gutenberg Revolution: Literature and Readership after Artificial Intelligence

Abstract

This article explores how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping the relationship between literature and readers, proposing the concept of a “New Gutenberg Revolution.” Building upon a presentation delivered at the Complutense University of Madrid in 2024, the study examines the trajectory from digital literary applications—such as the 2012 Explore Shakespeare app—to the current possibilities introduced by AI-supported literary experiences. Through comparative readings between Shakespeare and classical Turkish literature (particularly Fuzûlî’s Layla and Majnun), the article highlights how AI facilitates creative interaction with texts across cultures. It suggests that AI not only enhances intertextual engagement but also redefines the reader’s role from passive consumer to active co-creator. The theoretical framework draws on the works of Felski, Rancière, Deleuze, and Damrosch to argue for a rhizomatic, user-centered approach to reading in the post-digital era. This study asserts that AI may play a disruptive and democratizing role in literature—similar to that of the printing press—by expanding both access and interpretive agency.