At the Parix Audio Day conference organized by the Fundación Germán Sánchez Ruipérez in Madrid this past February, leading audio publishing executives celebrated the success of audiobooks in European and North American markets.

The Parix Audio Day keynote speakers, however, also cautioned that the blurring of boundaries between podcasts, AI narration, and immersive storytelling experiences means considerable challenges are ahead for audiobook publishing.

Amanda D’Acierno, global director of audiobooks at Penguin Random House, described how she champions a content strategy that is “global publishing, locally produced.” While PRH operates on a worldwide scale, D’Acierno emphasized the importance of producing audiobooks tailored to local markets, especially in emerging regions. In locations around the world, she said, PRH has adopted a “studio first” model that ensures quality control and creative oversight, and audiobooks recorded across this global network resonate strongly with younger, digital-native audiences. “Right now we’re in an investment phase,” D’Acierno added, “but we know what’s coming.”

As AI technology advances, machine-generated audiobook narration will likely become ubiquitous. In December 2024, a coalition of U.S. and U.K. publishers issued voluntary guidelines for publishers when providing labeling about AI narration for consumers.

According to Jon Watt, who chairs the UK Publishers Association’s Audio Publishers Group and is Trade Audio Director for Bonnier Books UK, any lack of transparency about AI narration risks damaging the public’s trust in audiobooks. The issue has important implications for publishers’ bottom line, Watt explained. For example, consumers may be willing to accept a lower price for AI narration, but the current ecosystem of subscription and credit models doesn’t accommodate this nuance. “Until we get feedback from the consumer, it’s impossible to know how the market is going to flex,” Watt said.

Currently, audio content may be packaged as either podcast or an audiobook and be available on YouTube or Spotify. Consumers, however, are largely indifferent to formats and channels. Instead, they focus on information and entertainment value. “The silos have completely vanished,” said Tom Webster, a partner with Sounds Profitable, a research agency concentrating on podcasting.

A recent consumer survey conducted by Sounds Profitable found that listener engagement is critical. YouTube, with its comment sections and recommendation algorithms, offers a level of interaction missing in many traditional audio apps. “Listeners want to feel seen,” Webster explains. “They want to feel like they matter.” This emotional connection, he added, is the next frontier of audio, moving from passive listening to interactive, community-driven experiences.

Luis González, director of the Fundación Germán Sánchez Ruipérez, emphasized that when it comes to publishing, “innovation comes from outside” and publishers have valuable lessons to learn video games, fashion, and TV production.

Audiobooks, in particular, can serve as a catalyst for business growth in publishing, González added, because they reach young consumers on their smartphones and other digital devices. “Teenagers often discover stories in audio first,” he said, noting that this is especially true for young women. “Then, they go to the bookstore because they want the reading experience for themselves.” In this way, Gonzalez said, audiobooks act as gateway to and not replacement for traditional reading.

The audio industry insiders at Parix Audio Day were united in asserting that future success for audiobook publishing hinges on how well the industry listens to the audience. As Webster put it, “I’m not in the business of correcting the consumer.”

Christopher Kenneally is the host of The Spoken World, a podcast series, where recordings for the keynote presentations at Parix Audio Day are now available.