There is a startlingly increasing number of books being banned or restricted in public schools across the United States. According to Pen America, during the 2025–2026 school year, 11,982 book-ban cases involving 7,370 unique titles were recorded, representing the highest annual total since tracking began in 2021. Unsurprisingly, Texas and Florida accounted for the majority of these bans, with books addressing LGBTQ+ identities, race, racism, sexuality, and diverse life experiences particularly targeted. There has also been a documented increasing use of artificial intelligence to identify books for removal, oftentimes without considering their full context. PEN America argues that these AI-enabled restrictions are threatening students’ freedom to read, as well as limiting their exposure to different perspectives and preventing them from seeing their own unique experiences represented on the page.
AI Used to Intensify School Book Bans
