December 15, 2025
SEOUL – If book titles are a reflection of society’s collective curiosity or simply what sells in bookstores, artificial intelligence is firmly at the center of Korea’s intellectual landscape.
According to data released by Kyobo Book Center on Sunday, 224 books published between Jan. 1 and Nov. 28 this year included “AI” in their titles, making it the most frequently used keyword among newly released books.
The surge is evident not only in titles but also in overall output and sales. According to Kyobo’s book sales trend report released earlier this month, 2,040 AI-related books were published this year, nearly double last year’s 1,057 titles. Sales of AI books rose 68.5 percent year-on-year, underscoring strong and sustained reader demand.
This trend translated into a wide range of new releases: from practical guides on how to use AI tools, to books forecasting AI trends across different industries, and humanities-focused works examining the ethical, social and philosophical implications of the technology. Even books that did not explicitly feature “AI” in their titles increasingly dealt with artificial intelligence as a central theme.
Industry watchers expect the momentum to continue. As artificial intelligence increasingly shapes everyday life, work and culture, the number of AI-related books is likely to grow further. Many trend-forecasting publications including “Trend Korea 2026,” the bestselling annual outlook on consumer lifestyle trends in Korea, have already identified AI as a defining keyword for 2026, suggesting that the technology’s influence on publishing is far from peaking.
Trailing behind “AI” were “class” or “lesson,” which appeared 190 times, while “science” and “mathematics” followed with 176 and 174 appearances, respectively. “Gil,” meaning “way” or “method” in English — a keyword suggesting self-development or methodology — appeared 158 times. “Mind,” reflecting interest in psychology, mindset and personal growth, showed up 155 times.