Blog Version: The Digital vs. Physical War - AI Companies Are Pulping Books by the Pallet

For Week Ending July 24, 2026

Literary agents can now legally charge you for marketing and publishing services, and the new rules aren't even posted yet. According to PublishDrive's data, indie print revenue jumped 75% on their platform in a single year. The $1.5 billion Anthropic settlement just got approved, but publishers are taking half. AI companies are buying used copies of your books, scanning them, and sending the paper to the pulp mill, and a federal judge says that's perfectly legal. And while Thomas was on paternity leave, his back turned, his mind occupied, AI may have crossed the AGI line.

Check out the blog version for sources and links.