An espresso with Adam Fritz

What are you reading at the minute?I’m currently reading Valhalla Rising by Clive Cussler, one of the Dirk Pitt books. It’s an adventure series that’s fun, exciting, and a very entertaining read. I also just finished listening to Malcolm Gladwell’s new audiobook, Revenge of the Tipping Point, and it was fantastic!

What is the best thing about going to international book fairs?
When Pozotron was earlier in our evolution, it was really exciting to be constantly meeting new potential customers who had never heard of our software and how our tools make audiobook production easier, faster, and more efficient. Now, with a market leading position in audiobook production software, the best part is meeting our customers in person and discussing ways we can add new features to make their lives and audio productions better.

Is your reading preference for physical books, audio, ebooks, and why?
 I like all 3! I find when I’m reading for pleasure (mostly fiction), I read in either physical or ebook formats. I prefer reading a physical book, but ebooks are so convenient for travel! For my non-fiction books, I generally listen to them in audiobook format so I can multitask while I listen!

What do you consider to be publishing’s greatest threat at the minute, and why?
I think the proliferation of generative AI is both the greatest threat and greatest opportunity facing the publishing industry. From an audiobook perspective, which is the area of publishing I pay the most attention to, generative AI will allow publishers to easily create more audiobook content, especially for published works that are not currently released in audio formats. This will have a multitude of benefits, increasing revenue opportunities across the industry, and most importantly, create more accessible content for the visually and learning impaired communities. The flip side of this is that generative AI also has the potential to lower content standards, eliminate employment opportunities for many creative workers (narrators, authors, and more), and if it is left unregulated, to infringe upon the copyrighted works of authors and publishers. 

What is your favourite Italian food?
I love ossobuco and gnocchi!

What is your favourite film based on a book?
One of my favourite books is the Martian by Andy Weir, and I really love the movie they made with Matt Damon. It's exciting, fun, and has some comedic elements. And I’m really looking forward to the movie adaptation of his most recent book, Project Hail Mary. 

Biography

Adam Fritz is CEO of Pozotron Inc, Canada, which is an AI-powered software suite that cuts hours from the audiobook, voiceover, and scripted audio production process.