Over the past decade, reading has shifted from a purely page-based activity to a multi-format, AI-augmented learning journey. Physical books are still important, but readers now move fluidly between:

• Text (print, e-books)

• Audio (audiobooks, podcasts, AI-generated narration)

• AI helpers (summaries, planners, tutors, chat-based Q&A)

At the same time:

• Most adults still read, but struggle with time, focus, and retention.

• Digital formats (e-books, audiobooks, mobile reading) continue to grow steadily.

• AI in education and learning is one of the fastest-growing segments in the edtech and content ecosystem. In this environment, tools like Business Shelf, ReadSmart, AudioShelf, and BookChallenge are not “nice to have” gadgets—they directly answer measurable gaps in how people actually read and learn today.

2. The Reading Landscape: People Still Read, But Not Always Deeply

Despite constant claims that “nobody reads anymore”, large-scale surveys show that reading is still very much alive—just under pressure.

• In the US, around 80% of adults say they have read a book in the past year.

• In Singapore’s 2025 National Reading Habits Study, almost 8 in 10 adults and 9 in 10 teenagers reported reading at least one book in the past year.

• However, a YouGov poll in the UK found that 40% of adults had not read or listened to a book in the past year, with younger adults and working-class groups reading the least.

At the same time, long-term research suggests that reading for pleasure has declined over the last 20 years, especially outside the home.

In other words:

• Many people still touch books.

• Fewer people maintain consistent, deep, and motivated reading habits.

This is exactly the gap BookChallenge is built for: helping readers turn “I’d like to read more this year” into a concrete, guided, and realistic plan they can actually stick to.

3. Market Size: Books, E-Books, and Audiobooks

3.1 Global Book and E-Book Markets

The global book market remains large and relatively stable. While growth varies by country, markets like India and Mexico still show year-on-year revenue increases in the high single digits.

Digital formats sit on top of this base:

• The global e-book market was valued at around US$18.4 billion in 2024, and is projected to grow to US$29.2 billion by 2034, at a 5.2% CAGR.

• Other analyses estimate the e-book market reaching about US$18–25 billion in the mid-2020s, depending on methodology and segments included.

E-books make books more accessible, but they don’t automatically solve:

• Information overload

• Poor retention

• The inability to extract actionable insight from what we read

This is where Business Shelf and ReadSmart come in:

• Business Shelf focuses on “What is the value engine and what can I do with it?”

• ReadSmart focuses on “What should I remember, and how does it all fit together?”

3.2 Audiobooks and Audio Learning

Audio is the fastest-growing major format in the book ecosystem:

• One analysis estimates the global audiobook market at US$8.7 billion in 2024, with projections up to US$35.5 billion by 2030 at a 26.2% CAGR (2025–2030).

• A more conservative industry forecast estimates around US$7.85 billion in 2025, growing to US$13.08 billion by 2030 at roughly 10.8% CAGR.

Even with differing models, every serious forecast agrees on one point: audio learning is moving from niche to mainstream.

Driver factors include:

• Ubiquitous smartphones — around 54% of the world’s population (approx. 4.3 billion people) own a smartphone.

• On-demand streaming habits (music, podcasts, short-form video).

• Desire to “use dead time” during commuting, chores, gym, or walking.

However, traditional audiobooks have key limitations:

• They are long and linear.

• They are optimized for storytelling, not for retention and structured learning.

• They are hard to skim, review, or quickly revisit.

AudioShelf is positioned exactly at this intersection:

Instead of listening to a full 10–20 hour audiobook, users can turn summaries, notes, or key ideas into short, structured audio they can review repeatedly.

This aligns with the broader shift from passive listening to active, goal-oriented audio learning.

4. AI in Education and Learning: A Rapidly Expanding Layer

AI is not just a hype word in education—it is now a large and rapidly growing market.

• The global AI in education market was estimated at US$5.88 billion in 2024, and is projected to reach US$32.27 billion by 2030, at a 31.2% CAGR.

• The generative AI in education segment specifically was valued at about US$1.9 billion in 2024, with forecasts up to US$14.2 billion by 2033, at roughly 24.6% CAGR.

Adoption is already visible at the classroom and household level:

• Around 44% of children actively engage with generative AI, and 54% use it for schoolwork or homework.

• 60% of teachers report having integrated AI into their teaching to some degree, with AI-powered educational games used by more than half (51%) of them.

In markets like India, AI tutoring tools integrated into platforms like Google Gemini are seeing very rapid uptake, especially when made free or bundled for students.

This data points to a clear conclusion:

Readers and learners are increasingly comfortable with AI “co-pilots” that guide, summarize, quiz, and plan for them.

For Myshelf.com, this is exactly where the four tools naturally sit:

• Business Shelf → Insight extraction co-pilot

• ReadSmart → Reading comprehension and summary co-pilot

• AudioShelf → Audio learning co-pilot

• BookChallenge → Habit and planning co-pilot

5. Pain Points the Data Can’t Hide

Beyond market size, the real story is in behavior and frustration.

5.1 People Start Books, But Don’t Finish or Retain

Many adults say they read at least one book per year, yet multiple surveys and behavioral studies show:

• Readers often fail to finish nonfiction books.

• Even when they finish, they struggle to recall key concepts or apply them in real life.

• Reading has to compete with phones, social media, streaming, and work.

This is the space for Business Shelf and ReadSmart:

• Business Shelf gives a value-focused snapshot of a book, biography, or public figure:
  “What is the core idea? How does it create value? What can I actually do with it?”

• ReadSmart takes text and builds a structured map:
  “What are the main concepts, how do they connect, and what should I remember?”

Together, they turn reading from “page consumption” into “structured learning”.

5.2 People Want Learning That Fits Their Lifestyle

Data on audiobooks and smartphone penetration shows a clear trend:
people want learning that fits into commutes, chores, and small time windows.

AudioShelf extends this:

• Instead of only consuming professionally produced audiobooks, users can create personal, focused audio tracks from the content they care about most:
  summaries, notes, key lessons, or even Business Shelf / ReadSmart outputs.

5.3 People Struggle With Long-Term Consistency

With up to 40% of adults in some countries not reading a single book in the past year, and long-term declines in reading for pleasure, it’s clear that motivation and structure are missing for many people.

BookChallenge directly addresses this by providing:

• A 12-month reading roadmap

• Pacing that matches the user’s real life

• Monthly themes and checkpoints

• A clear sense of progress and completion

Instead of vague resolutions (“I’ll read more this year”), users get a concrete, adaptive plan.

6. Market Segments and Where Myshelf Fits