SINGAPORE: The National Library Board (NLB) and creative agency LePub Singapore announced earlier this week an innovation in which literary classics—such as Frankenstein and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes—have been turned into an interactive reading experience through Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI).
It allows readers to enjoy their favourite works in a completely new way or for first-timers to discover their joys in this digital age.
“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 breakthrough fusing 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,” NLB and LePub Singapore announced in a joint media release on April 2.
Playbrary can be accessed by visiting playbrary.ai or scanning the Playbrary QR codes at all National Library public libraries in Singapore.
What books are available so far?
Right now, players may start from classics such as Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice, Frankenstein, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. However, the site says there are more than 1,000 to choose from.
The best part is that Playbrary is free and accessible for all as part of the National Library Board’s endeavours to boost reading and learning for everybody, including those more used to digital media.
Over the next few months, readers and players can expect more classic book titles to be added to Playbrary’s interactive offerings.
How does it work?
Through Gen AI, ‘playable’ books have been created, where texts are transformed into text-based adventure games, allowing readers to embark on one-of-a-kind interactive literary journeys.
Here are some of Playbrary’s features:
- Generation of real-time graphics that produce an immersive, multisensory experience for players
- A free-to-use prompt generator, enabled by integration with ChatGPT and promising accessibility to all
- A host of open-source books to play, including Frankenstein, Pride and Prejudice, and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, with more to come.
“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,” says NLB’s Chief Executive Officer Ng Cher Pong. /TISG
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