Are people reading less or more in the AI era?

I was chatting with a friend today, and we realized AI might have completely changed the way we read.

He said he barely reads books anymore — especially technical ones. He is a programmer. He used to read C++ and web dev books to find answers or learn new concepts. Now, he just asks AI. The “reference” type of reading — opening a book to solve a problem — is almost gone for him.

But for me, it’s quite the opposite. I actually read more. AI makes it possible for me to read books I couldn’t finish before — Ulysses, hard philosophy books like Kant or Hegel, ancient Chinese texts — because it can explain obscure references, translate foreign phrases, and unpack metaphors instantly.

So it made me wonder: Has AI made you read more because it removes barriers — or less because it removes the need?