Charleston, S.C. – September 17, 2026 -- Storiad, an operating system for author marketing, and Chicago-based Bitta AI have struck a partnership to convert published books into AI-powered interactive experiences called Living Books, giving authors a new pre-purchase engagement tool for prospective readers.
Living Books let readers test drive content before buying
The technology allows a prospective reader to ask an author's book questions, practice techniques described in it, or apply its methodology to a real situation, rather than relying on static marketing assets like excerpts, reviews or social posts. Fiction readers will eventually be able to interact with characters and explore an author's story world.
Partnership targets a market of 250,000 annual U.S. titles
More than 250,000 new titles are released in the United States each year, according to the companies, creating intense competition for reader attention. Storiad and Bitta AI frame the Living Book as a new step in the sales funnel: see the book, interact with it, experience its value, then buy.
Rollout starts with nonfiction skill-based titles
The partnership will initially focus on nonfiction titles that teach a skill -- such as leadership, sales, negotiation or personal development -- before expanding to fiction applications. Authors and publishers can register through Storiad for onboarding as Living Book experiences become available.
Storiad positions the tool within its existing marketing infrastructure
Storiad's platform includes campaign management tools and a database of more than 50,000 media contacts, reviewers and influencers. The company said Living Books can be embedded across lead generation, author websites, email campaigns, social media, publicity, media outreach and book launches, giving authors additional monetization paths from a single piece of intellectual property.
"Authors spend money and time trying to get people to notice their books, understand their books, and ultimately buy their books," said Ramzi S. Hajj, Founder and CEO of Storiad. "A Living Book gives them something fundamentally different -- a way to experience the book before they buy it."
Bitta AI frames the format as reader-insight tool, not book replacement
Bitta AI CEO Siyuan Guo said the goal is to make the book itself interactive without replacing it, while generating engagement data that shows authors what readers are asking about and where they engage with material most.