Mostly books scanned this way are mass-market paperbacks, because nothing popular is rare, and most important things are fairly popular.

They're buying rare books, too. They don't think it's worth their time to pick and choose, and money is no object. There was a story about this fairly recently.

... to do things the right, proper, and legal way - that means shredding books.

Sorry, are you high? How tf does that make sense? Do you shred the books you buy, after reading them?

This particular use you seem to be irrationally shilling for is nothing like anything humankind has experienced before, let alone a variation on commerce that's been ethically overseen, and should be treated as such: with ironclad, tailor-fit licensing per-use to utilize specific content, and with fines proportionate to its corp's worth for each failure/breach. (which likely will be many, in the beginning, as the leeches test the new boundaries)

And, until that is even viable, they don't get to "train" their half-assed LLMs on anything they don't have explicit permission to do so. Full stop.

That any of us here would prefer to let it slide "this time" belies a collective accessory to the currently conflagrating reality we all share.

^*^ : bullshit they are; we'll hear about the infinitesimal "fine" later on, once it benefits them to shift public focus. Check back later, see if they don't.

edit: FWIW, the glaring fact that the current draconian laws that're being complied with^*^ are irrelevant to this unique type of transaction and are only serving to justify the rapid destruction of priceless literary works, etc. isn't exactly engendering hope.

Also:

They'd love to brag about how many niche titles they've preserved

jesuschrist. You've gulped the Kool-Aid, my guy. 🤢 You know "them" personally? They call you at home? Like you somehow have a finger on the pulse of what "they'd love to" do.

...or, maybe you do. 🤔