How LePub Used AI to Transform Books into Interactive Adventures
The "Playbrary" initiative, a collaboration between the National Library Board, Singapore, and LePub APAC, aims to revolutionise reading by transforming traditional books into immersive text-adventure games using AI.
By gamifying the reading experience, Playbrary addresses declining interest in books among younger generations and promotes literacy in a digital-first world.
As Cyril Louis, executive creative director at LePub, explains to LBB, the Playbrary campaign offers a diverse catalogue of over 1,000 classic books through partnerships with OpenAI.
Speaking to LBB, Cyril discusses the campaign’s inspiration, integration, and potential long term impact.
LBB> What inspired the National Library Board, Singapore, and LePub Singapore to embark on the Playbrary project, and how does it address the challenge of keeping books relevant in today's digital age?
Cyril> In the era of gaming and smartphones, reading among kids is significantly declining, leaving books on the shelves. Singapore’s National Library Board was already experimenting with AI storytelling. Together, we embarked on a journey to see if we could reverse the decline in reading books with the power of Gen-AI.
We’re positioning Playbrary as a teaser to the books. The objective is to interest players and convert them into readers. As the saying will go, the book is always better than the game.
LBB> Can you elaborate on the process of converting traditional books into interactive text-based adventure games using advanced AI, and how this process preserves the essence of the original stories?
Cyril> While thinking about how AI models are trained, we realised that AI has already 'read' an entire library's worth of books. This realisation led us to the idea of using this knowledge to transform books into adventure games and bring reading back into the game.
Advanced AI models like ChatGPT don't yet have a mind of their own. The engineering and training of such tools is a novel area that requires substantial experimentation.
In terms of staying true to the original stories, Playbrary adheres to the book’s original plot but allows an extra dimension of interactivity. With gaming, you can do more than follow the characters; you can become Sherlock Holmes and Elizabeth Bennet. Gamification promotes a deeper connection with the story and characters.
LBB> What motivated the decision to partner with OpenAI and integrate ChatGPT into the Playbrary platform, and how does this integration enhance the user experience?
Cyril> Our team at LePub Singapore was inspired by the announcement that OpenAI has made ChatGPT available to everyone for free. We used ChatGPT to launch Playbrary as a GPT – a free prompt generator accessible to anyone in the world with at least a 3G connection, playable in over 50 languages.
The best experience is offered to ChatGPT Plus subscribers, as it enables more advanced generative AI and supports graphics. We started the development in January 2024 and launched Playbrary in March.
LBB> What criteria are used to select books for inclusion in the Playbrary platform, and how does Playbrary ensure diversity and inclusivity in its catalogue of playable books?
Cyril> Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice, Frankenstein, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, and 1000 other timeless classics are now available to play.
We started with classic books that are already in the public domain, but we are now inviting authors and publishers to add their books to Playbrary to make sure it represents a diverse mix of authors and cultures. The incentive for authors is to reach a new generation of readers, who will discover the magic of their stories in a format that resonates with their digital-first lifestyle.
LBB> Can you discuss the potential long-term impact of Playbrary on the future of libraries in the digital age, and how it aligns with the broader goals of promoting literacy and lifelong learning?
Cyril> Playbrary is an exciting project for LePub Singapore, which not only helps to rekindle a love for reading in young adults but is also a great educational resource. To launch the platform, we engaged gaming influencers to live-stream their favourite books on Twitch.
We are now working directly with schools and libraries to engage young gamers on the ground. We are in the beta stage, collecting user feedback so that the next iteration will be more engaging and immersive than ever.
