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Americans abandoning book reading, a habit favored by billionaires

By PulseAugur Editorial · [2 sources] ·

A growing number of Americans are abandoning the habit of reading books, a practice highly valued by billionaires and elite achievers for fostering critical thinking and leadership skills. A 2025 survey indicated that reading is the top common habit among billionaires, yet two in five Americans did not read a single book in the past year, with daily reading for pleasure declining significantly over two decades. Experts attribute this shift to the attention economy, amplified by social media and AI, which may hinder the development of nuanced analysis and deep thinking, skills increasingly seen as rare and essential for leadership. AI

IMPACT The decline in reading, exacerbated by AI, may hinder the development of critical thinking and leadership skills.

RANK_REASON The cluster discusses expert opinions and trends related to reading habits and their impact on leadership, rather than a specific event or release.

Read on Fortune →

AI-generated summary · Google Gemini · from 2 sources. How we write summaries →

Americans abandoning book reading, a habit favored by billionaires

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Commentary
The cluster discusses expert opinions and trends related to reading habits and their impact on leadership, rather than a specific event or release.
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2 independent sources
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opinion, other
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45 days old
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COVERAGE [2]

  1. Fortune TIER_1 English(EN) · Preston Fore ·

    Americans are quietly abandoning the daily habit that billionaires say set them up for success—and it could have lasting consequences

    Billionaires swear by books—but two in five Americans didn’t read a single one in 2025. Experts warn its decline among Americans, especially Gen Z, could have lasting consequences.

  2. Mastodon — mastodon.social TIER_1 English(EN) · top_news ·

    Americans are quietly abandoning the daily habit that billionaires say set them up for success—and it could have lasting consequences | Fortune Billionaires swe

    Americans are quietly abandoning the daily habit that billionaires say set them up for success—and it could have lasting consequences | Fortune Billionaires swear by books—but two in five Americans didn’t read a single one in 2025. Experts warn its decline among Americans, especi…

    LINKS fortune.com/…/americans-reading-less-book…

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