National Library Board unveils AI-enabled reading adventures ‘Playbrary’

SINGAPORE — The National Library Board (NLB) Singapore has partnered with creative agency LePub Singapore to develop ‘Playbrary’, a cutting-edge reading experience that aims to reignites and  revitalise youths’ love for learning through generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI).

Playbrary harnesses the power of generative AI and a free-to-use prompt generator, enabled by the integration with ChatGPT, to create ‘playable’ books. This innovative approach breathes new life into classic literature, and transforms the books into captivating text-based adventures. Users become active participants, embarking on interactive literary journeys where their choices shape the story.

“This is part of NLB’s ongoing efforts to make Generative AI accessible to all. Our partnership with LePub Singapore opens new, innovative ways for more to read and learn. Through the gamification experience of Playbrary, we hope to encourage more Singaporeans to read these classics after playing the game. We also invite like-minded partners onboard to explore emerging technologies that inspire new ways of interaction with NLB’s resources, such as through Gen AI,” said NLB’s Chief Executive Officer Ng Cher Pong.

Through the collaboration between NLB and LePub Singapore, gamers and readers will now be able to meet in classics like Frankenstein and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes as books are transformed into adventure games using Gen AI. Playbrary lets players explore classic books, adds twists to its narrative, and blends storytelling with digital gameplay.

For instance, players can assume the role of Sherlock Holmes and make choices together with the help of Dr John Watson to solve a mystery case. This innovative fusion of AI and gaming is part of NLB’s National Reading Movement efforts to encourage more people to cultivate good reading habits, setting aside time for reading and exploring books of different genres.

For a start, players can choose from selected classic book titles including Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice, Frankenstein, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. The interactive literacy journey is accessible to everyone and Playbrary allows all players to  cultivate a greater appreciation for classic books.

This innovation also contributes to NLB’s ongoing efforts to enhance the reading and learning experience for everyone, including digital-focused audiences. More classic book titles will be added to Playbrary over the next few months.