London Book Fair 2025: Can AI help literature go global?

At the 2025 London Book Fair, the air is once again thick with the scent of fresh print and the shelves are brimming with books from around the world. Yet despite the vast collection of stories from over 100 countries and regions waiting to be discovered, many remain out of reach for global readers.

In an increasingly interconnected world, translation acts as a bridge, connecting readers with voices from different cultures. However, as artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT and DeepSeek begin to transform the translation landscape, a crucial question emerges: Can AI ever truly capture the soul and artistry of literature?

Liu Zhenyun: 'Global perspective' is essential for literary works to go global

One of the most well-known authors at this year's fair is Liu Zhenyun, one of China's most internationally recognized writers. Many of Liu's works have been translated into 20 languages and adapted into films, and his presence at the London Book Fair drew attention from both Chinese and international fans—so much so that staff had to turn people away from the Literary Translation Centre where he held a panel discussion.

Liu is among the few Chinese authors who have managed to successfully cross borders and reach a global audience. He told CGTN that what can help bring Chinese literature to the world is "global perspectives."

"For Chinese literature to go global, it's all about perspective—whether you see China or a Chinese village through the world's eyes, or whether you view the world from a Chinese village," he explained. "Going out is essential—first as a person, then as a writer. A writer's perspective must broaden, as must their view of the world."

Liu elaborates on this concept of a global perspective in his novel Someone to Talk To. He explains that the inclusion of an Italian priest character, who travels from Milan to a small town in Henan, China, in the 1920s, plays a pivotal role in the story. Without this external viewpoint, the novel would be confined to a narrow, local narrative.

Authors like Liu Zhenyun are rare. Despite China's rich literary legacy, Chinese literature has long struggled to reach international readers. For centuries, each dynasty produced a vast array of literary works—be it poetry, novels, or plays.

Yet how many of the following Chinese literary works do my dear readers recognize? The Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Journey to the West, The Water Margin, Dream of the Red Chamber, The True Story of Ah Q, Rickshaw Boy, The Fortress Besieged, Family, Tales of Hulan River and The Travels of Lao Can.

In addition to global perspectives, one crucial factor for broader reach is translation.

Enter AI: The New Frontier

As generative AI continues to evolve, some publishers, including the largest in the Netherlands, Veen Bosch & Keuning (VBK), are experimenting with AI. 

ChatGPT and DeepSeek are able to churn out faster and more efficient translations, but the real question remains: Can AI ever truly preserve the rhythm, tone and cultural depth of a work, or is it simply a clever shortcut? Or worse, a flash in the pan?

While some embrace AI's potential to make translation faster and more accessible, others, such as literary and academic translator Jack Hargreaves, are not convinced that AI has a place in literary translation.

"Literary translation is not a place for AI," Hargreaves told CGTN. "AI is just a gathering of information, and it churns out in a sort of a cleaned, refined, almost sanitised format. I think it can produce some sensical translations. It can make language make sense. But there's a human element that's missing that's really important for literature."

Though Hargreaves acknowledges AI's usefulness in many fields, he draws the line at literature. For him, literature is more than just words—it's an emotional journey for the reader, and that's something AI cannot replicate.

Despite these concerns, AI is gaining ground in the translation market. A report by Verified Market Research shows that the global AI language translation industry is predicted to grow to approximately $6 billion by 2031. AI tools like ChatGPT and DeepSeek are already being used by publishers for simpler translations, but when it comes to literary nuances, the jury is still out.

For many, literary translation is more than just transferring words from one language to another—it's an art form crafted not just for meaning, but for feeling.