The end of reading
Why literacy Is becoming obsolete and that’s exactly what humanity needs
For centuries, reading has been at the heart of human progress—a skill so vital it shaped education systems, social mobility, and even our identities.
But what if reading as we know it is about to go the way of handwriting with quills or horsemanship for transportation? What if reading becomes not just less important—but obsolete? And what if that’s not just inevitable, but exactly what humanity needs?
Before you dismiss this as radical, consider the tectonic shifts already happening around us.
Reading is becoming redundant
Every day, technological advancements chip away at the necessity of reading. AI assistants, voice recognition, and natural language processing have made interacting with text optional. Some believe podcasts had a major role in the outcome of the recent US elections.
Need to understand a dense report? AI can summarize it in seconds. Need directions, instructions, or even a novel? Just ask Siri or Alexa to tell you.
And let’s be honest: When was the last time you read an instruction manual? Or navigated without a GPS telling you exactly where to go?
Now, we stand at a crossroads. New technologies are emerging that might make reading as we know it unnecessary. What if we could leap beyond the limits of text-based communication? What if reading becomes not just less important—but obsolete? And what if that’s not a problem, but an opportunity?
This is the provocative idea we need to explore: why reading may no longer be the skill society needs most, and why our energy should shift away from preserving it and toward preparing for the world that comes next.
Reading is not natural
Reading has never been natural. It wasn’t something we evolved to do, like walking or speaking. Instead, reading is a skill we invented—a clunky hack to repurpose parts of the brain designed for vision and speech into a tool for decoding symbols.
Decoding symbols and associating them with meaning is a laborious process, which is why so many education systems pour billions into teaching literacy.
Recent controversy around the science of reading (and how it’s not being implemented in schools) underscores this reality. Unlike speech or walking, which humans are biologically wired to learn, for most, reading requires years of explicit phonics instruction to master, and even then, not everyone achieves fluency.
For those who can’t read fluently—770 million adults worldwide—illiteracy creates barriers to healthcare, civic engagement, and economic mobility. 15-20% of children have dyslexia or other reading disorders that interfere with their progress (and self-confidence) in a reading-centric education system.
Literacy struggles disproportionately affect marginalized groups, including women in low-income countries, immigrants, and those with disabilities. These individuals face systemic barriers that reading exacerbates—barriers to healthcare, employment, and civic participation.
It’s an inequity that demands attention.
But what if reading itself is the problem?
What if it’s a tool that has outlived its usefulness?
Despite heroic efforts to promote literacy, the process itself underscores one truth:
Reading is hard.
Reading is an incredible invention, but it’s just that—an invention. It’s a learned skill, not an innate human ability like speaking or walking. And while reading has been a cornerstone of human progress for centuries, it’s also a barrier for many, especially those who struggle with literacy due to systemic inequities.
And if it’s a tool we invented, it’s a tool we can replace.
The trashy history of reading
It’s worth remembering that reading wasn’t always revered. In the early days of mass literacy, novels were considered lowbrow entertainment for degenerate women and the uneducated. Even the printing press was criticized for flooding the world with “cheap” material that undermined traditional forms of learning.
This pattern repeats with every new medium. TV, texting, and now TikTok are dismissed as inferior forms of communication. But history shows us that what seems “trashy” today often becomes the foundation of tomorrow’s knowledge systems.
This cycle reveals a key truth: new forms of communication are always dismissed as inferior—until they become the norm. The same critics who once denigrated novels or television now bemoan the rise of digital media. But history shows us that these shifts don’t degrade communication; they expand it.
Reading, too, could soon be seen as a relic—a once-revolutionary tool now replaced by faster, more engaging ways of understanding the world.
The historical precedent for reinventing communication
This wouldn’t be the first time humanity has reinvented the way we share knowledge. We’ve always adapted to new tools and mediums that expand access and efficiency:
1. Oral to written traditions:
Before writing, knowledge was shared through storytelling. Oral traditions were rich but fragile, often lost or distorted over time. Writing revolutionized this by providing permanence, though it was initially accessible only to elites.
2. The printing press:
Gutenberg’s printing press democratized access to books, but not without controversy. Early critics worried about the flood of “trashy” novels and pamphlets undermining traditional learning.
3. The rise of vernacular languages:
For centuries, Latin dominated scholarly work. The translation of texts into vernacular languages opened knowledge to the masses but was resisted by gatekeepers of the old system.
4. The digital revolution:
Email replaced letters. Texting replaced phone calls. Now, audiobooks, podcasts, and video tutorials are transforming how we consume and share information. These formats are faster, more engaging, and more accessible than traditional text.
What replaces reading?
As reading becomes less central to how we consume and share information, emerging technologies are stepping in to redefine knowledge transfer. These innovations don’t simply replace text—they expand its possibilities, creating a richer, more inclusive way to engage with ideas.
1. Artificial intelligence
(AI) is at the forefront of this transformation. Advanced AI systems are capable of processing, summarizing, and explaining complex texts in real-time, offering insights through spoken language, visuals, or interactive experiences. Need to decipher a dense scientific paper or legal document? AI can distill its key points into a concise, accessible format tailored to your needs. This isn’t just about convenience—it democratizes information, ensuring that even those who struggle with traditional literacy can access the same knowledge as everyone else. By removing the barrier of reading, AI makes understanding available to all.
2. Immersive technologies
Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are powerful forces reshaping learning. Rather than reading about Ancient Rome in a textbook, imagine walking through its streets in a VR simulation. Instead of interpreting a flat diagram of the solar system, you could examine a 3D projection in your own living room. These tools allow learners to engage directly with concepts, making abstract ideas tangible and unforgettable. Immersive learning stimulates multiple senses, providing experiences that are not only more engaging but also better suited to diverse learning styles. For students who struggle with traditional text-based education, these technologies offer a way to connect with knowledge in ways that feel intuitive and meaningful.
3. Neural interfaces
Looking further ahead, neural interfaces could render both reading and writing unnecessary. Companies like Neuralink are already exploring the potential of brain-to-brain communication, where knowledge and ideas can be transmitted directly. Imagine downloading a new language, mastering a skill, or sharing a complex concept with someone instantaneously—no words or text required. Neural interfaces promise to eliminate the friction of traditional communication, offering a seamless exchange of information that could transform education, collaboration, and creativity on a global scale.
4. Visual and auditory media
Even today, the rise of visual and auditory media is pointing the way toward a post-reading future. Podcasts, audiobooks, and video tutorials provide faster, more engaging ways to absorb information than traditional text. Podcasts bring a human voice to knowledge, adding emotional nuance that enhances understanding and retention. Audiobooks cater to those who find reading difficult or time-consuming, while video tutorials make step-by-step learning accessible and immediate. These mediums aren’t just alternatives to reading—they are actively reshaping how we consume content, ensuring that learning is inclusive and dynamic.
5. The possibility of a new language
As we transition away from a text-centric world, a new universal language may emerge—one that transcends traditional written and spoken forms. Just as the printing press gave rise to standardized written languages, today’s technologies could facilitate the creation of a hybrid communication system that integrates visuals, sounds, and even neural connections. This language might rely on universally understood symbols, interactive holograms, or AI-assisted translations, making it accessible to anyone, regardless of linguistic or cultural background.
Such a system wouldn’t just be a replacement for text; it could redefine how we think and communicate. Imagine a world where knowledge flows seamlessly through multisensory, immersive experiences—a kind of shared, global dialect that combines visual storytelling, auditory depth, and direct neural communication. This isn’t a distant possibility; it’s the natural evolution of how humanity adapts to new tools and mediums.
6. Or how about some quiet?
Just as technology is evolving, so too are many people’s desires to slow down, to appreciate the gifts of the natural world, to embrace the simplicity of being, to connect deeply with each other.
When was the last time you enjoyed the rare joy of being in someone’s company without feeling the obligation to talk?
Without the constant chatter of giving and receiving information, we might find ourselves walking in nature together, meditating, or simply being present without the need for constant communication or information exchange.
AI could liberate us from more mundane, menial tasks - creating space for kinesthetic and communal activities like gardening, painting, or childcare (one of the most complex, intuitive tasks that no machine could truly replicate). These activities align with the emerging culture of sustainability, requiring hands-on, mindful participation.
Perhaps this new paradigm will not only transform how we learn and share but also deepen how we connect with each other and our planet. By freeing ourselves from the labor of literacy and menial tasks, we might discover more time to create, to nurture, and to simply enjoy each other’s presence in a quieter, more balanced world.
A path towards connection
In a world grappling with a loneliness epidemic, where social isolation has become a pressing public health crisis, new technologies might offer a unique opportunity to foster deeper, more organic connections. Audio and multisensory tools—like voice-driven AI, immersive AR/VR experiences, and interactive apps—can reintroduce the human element into communication and learning.
Listening to someone’s voice or engaging in shared virtual spaces activates emotional and social cues that reading alone cannot provide. These technologies allow for richer, more empathetic interactions, creating opportunities for connection that feel more personal and immediate than text-based exchanges ever could. By integrating these tools thoughtfully, we can move beyond the limits of traditional literacy to a future where connection is both accessible and deeply human.
The equity Issue: why illiteracy matters today
While we imagine a future without reading, it’s critical to address the challenges illiteracy creates in the present:
Healthcare: Illiterate individuals struggle to read prescriptions, health records, or even basic instructions, leading to worse health outcomes.
Employment: Job applications, contracts, and workplace training often require reading, shutting out those without the skill.
Civic Engagement: Voting, understanding policies, and engaging in democracy rely heavily on literacy, creating barriers for those who can’t read.
Economic Mobility: Illiteracy often traps individuals in cycles of poverty by limiting their access to better jobs and education.
These barriers aren’t just individual challenges—they’re systemic inequities. Addressing illiteracy today is a moral imperative.
So please, volunteer.
We are not in tomorrow. We’re here in today.
And if you care about others, about empowering innovation and a sustainable planet - it’s quite possible the most impactful thing you can do in the world today is to help someone learn to read. Volunteering at your local library or literacy program could transform a person’s life. Teaching a recent immigrant to read or supporting adult learners might be one of the most meaningful contributions you can make to society.
For more on the extraordinary positive impact of teaching someone to read on systemic problems as diverse as human rights to climate change, check out my interview with Dr. Rebecca Winthrop.
But we also need to recognize that while literacy is essential today, we’re rapidly approaching a future where it might not be.
What this means for innovators
Stop building literacy tools—start building the future
For startups and innovators, this is a call to action: Stop focusing on tools that make reading easier. Instead, lean into the technologies that make learning more accessible.
Instead of pouring resources into new literacy curricula or AI reading tutors, we should lean into the tools that are already making reading less necessary. Technology can bypass the barriers of literacy entirely, creating a world where knowledge is universally accessible.
Reading is no longer the only gateway to knowledge, the only path from poverty to wealth, the only means to building movements and introducing transformative ideas into society. People can already learn anything through videos and podcasts without requiring reading fluency. (And as evidenced by some of the interesting characters recording successful podcasts these days, you don’t need to be highly literate to achieve wealth).
Instead of building literacy tools
Build platforms that foster experiential learning.
Invest in AI and AR that make information intuitive and accessible to all learners today.
Create systems where language itself evolves, moving from static words to dynamic, shareable ideas.
Lead meditation classes so people can stop scrolling and start paying attention.
Create works of art that bring more beauty into the world.
Build networks and true communities that exchange skills, ideas, resources, care and mentorship.
A world beyond reading
I am one of those people whose very identity is wrapped up in being a reader. I did not teach myself to read. In fact, my mom hired me a tutor. But I don’t have a reading challenge like dyslexia.
And once I cracked the reading code, I was off to the races. As a child, my nose was always buried in a book. I love the way they smell. I love the way they feel. I love curling up on the couch with a good book - and I poo poo the kindle.
I’m a good old-fashioned reader who likes the feel of a good book in my hands.
I’ll admit: it makes me feel smart and even a little superior at times. My ability to read and write well has been a massive advantage in my career and my personal life.
Reading and writing has been my all-access pass to the global elite, and all that exclusive community has offer.
What’s more, reading is a joyful, deeply satisfying experience for me. Reading and writing helps me parse my thoughts, connect and transform the world in ways I think will make it better.
And let’s state the obvious contradiction here: you’re reading this post. I’m writing it. (Unless perhaps you’re a future person listening to it via AI translation, reading it in a new emoji language, or it somehow got planted in your brain by Neuralink. If so, hello future human! I send you my love! 💖🥰🌻)
But as much as I love reading, the world is changing.
Reading has served humanity well, but its dominance was never inevitable—it was a tool for its time. As new technologies emerge, we have the opportunity to create a world where information flows more freely, without the barriers literacy creates.
Humanity has always evolved its tools for communication—from oral traditions to written scripts, from quills to keyboards. This is just the next leap.
In Shakespeare’s time, literacy rates were low, but the ability to listen and process information audibly was highly developed. Audiences absorbed the complexity of his plays through live performances, proving that societies can thrive on shared oral experiences. This reminds us that communication and knowledge-sharing are not bound to text alone but can take many forms.
Just as Shakespeare’s audiences mastered the art of listening, future generations may master a more fluid, intuitive way of sharing ideas—a new language for a new era.
As communication technologies evolve, the definition of literacy expands to encompass new competencies. Understanding and critically engaging with digital content are now integral to being literate in the 21st century.
The future doesn’t belong to readers.
It belongs to thinkers, creators, and innovators who are ready to embrace new ways of learning, communicating, connecting and imagining - a world where knowledge flows seamlessly and universally.
The end of reading isn’t the end of knowledge—it’s the beginning of something better.
Let’s stop trying to save reading—and start building what comes next..
Let’s build it together.
Further reading about reading
Ashikuzzaman, Md. “The Role of Audio-Visual Aids in Education.” Library & Information Science Education Network, 20 Sept. 2024, https://www.lisedunetwork.com/the-role-of-audio-visual-aids-in-education/
Bryant, Jake, et al. “Advancing Racial Equity in US Pre-K–12 Education.” McKinsey & Company, 21 July 2023, https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/education/our-insights/advancing-racial-equity-in-us-pre-k-12-education
Bryant, Jake, et al. “Spark & Sustain: How All of the World’s School Systems Can Improve Learning at Scale.” McKinsey & Company, 12 Feb. 2024, https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/education/our-insights/spark-and-sustain-how-school-systems-can-improve-learning-at-scale.
Deutsch, D., & Ravikant, N. (2023, February 11). David Deutsch: Knowledge Creation and the Human Race, Part 1 [Podcast episode]. In Naval Podcast. Retrieved from https://nav.al/david-deutsch
Dewalt DA, Berkman ND, Sheridan S, Lohr KN, Pignone MP. “Literacy and health outcomes: a systematic review of the literature.” J Gen Intern Med. 2004 Dec;19(12):1228-39. doi: 10.1111/j.1525-1497.2004.40153.x. PMID: 15610334; PMCID: PMC1492599. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1492599/.
Dale, Edgar. “Audio-Visual Methods in Teaching.” ERIC, 1969, https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED025951
Kristof, Nicholas. “Two-Thirds of Kids Struggle to Read, and We Know How to Fix It.” The New York Times, 11 Feb. 2023, https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/11/opinion/reading-kids-phonics.html.
Martinez, Ariel. “Is Reading Becoming Obsolete?” Medium, 2023, https://medium.com/@ariel.martinez.itpm/is-reading-becoming-obsolete-2597ac24db29.
Nuwer, Rachel. “Are Paper Books Really Disappearing?” BBC Future, 24 Jan. 2016, https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20160124-are-paper-books-really-disappearing.
Horowitch, Rose. “The Elite College Students Who Can’t Read Books.” The Atlantic, Oc. 2024, https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2024/11/the-elite-college-students-who-cant-read-books/679945/.
Kornick, Lindsay. “Elite Colleges Shocked to Discover Students ‘Don’t Know How’ to Read Books: ‘My Jaw Dropped’.” New York Post, 4 Oct. 2024, https://nypost.com/2024/10/04/lifestyle/elite-colleges-shocked-to-discover-students-dont-know-how-to-read-books-my-jaw-dropped/.
Mervosh, Sarah. “The Pandemic Erased Two Decades of Progress in Math and Reading.” The New York Times, 1 Sept. 2022, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/01/us/national-test-scores-math-reading-pandemic.html.
Savchenko, Anton. “The Pros of Audiovisual Learning in Education.” EdTechReview, 22 Sept. 2021, https://www.edtechreview.in/trends-insights/insights/the-pros-of-audiovisual-learning-in-education/.
Schwartz, Sarah. “America’s Literacy Crisis Isn’t What You Think.” Vox, 15 Apr. 2019, https://www.vox.com/culture/386286/kids-reading-literacy-crisis-books
Sharp, Laurie A. “Literacy in the Digital Age.” The Language and Literacy Spectrum, vol. 24, 2014, pp. 74–82. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1034912.pdf.
StudyCorgi. “Impact of Technology: Nicholas Carr’s Views.” StudyCorgi, 2021, https://studycorgi.com/impact-of-technology-nicholas-carrs-views/.
Tierney, Robert J., and P. David Pearson. “Fact-Checking the ‘Science of Reading’: Claims, Assumptions, and Consequences.” Literacy Research Commons, 2024, https://literacyresearchcommons.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Fact-checking-the-SoR.pdf.
Turner, Camilla. “Students Can’t Read Long Books Anymore, Says Oxford Professor.” The Times, 7 Oct. 2024, https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/students-cant-read-long-books-any-more-oxford-professor-says-tn7tcczmm.
UNESCO. “The Global Literacy Challenge: A Profile of Youth and Adult Literacy at the Mid-Point of the United Nations Literacy Decade 2003–2012.” UNESCO, 2008, https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000163170.
Wolf, Maryanne. “There’s a Crisis of Reading Among Generation Z.” Pacific Standard, 29 Apr. 2019, https://psmag.com/ideas/theres-a-crisis-of-reading-among-generation-z/.