Reigniting a Love for Reading with AI and Avatars with Lawton Smith, CEO of Literal
Mar 24, 2025
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In this engaging discussion, Lawton Smith, co-founder and CEO of Literal, a groundbreaking digital reading platform, sheds light on the alarming decline in reading scores among adolescents. He reveals how Literal transforms classic literature into interactive chat-based formats, making reading more relatable for today’s youth. Lawton shares his personal journey with reading and emphasizes the crucial role of AI in enhancing comprehension through tools like translation and rephrasing. The conversation highlights the importance of playful, personalized reading to rekindle a love for literature.
The decline in global reading scores among adolescents is linked to changing media habits and an overemphasis on short-form content.
Literal's innovative use of AI and chat-based formats transforms classic literature into immersive, engaging experiences tailored for modern students.
Deep dives
The Decline in Reading Engagement
Global reading scores have been in decline, with students spending more time on screens and less on reading, particularly affecting adolescents. Standard assessments like the National Assessment of Educational Progress and the PISA exam indicate a worrying trend, showing that reading performance levels have reverted to those of 1972, despite decades of investment and effort. Contributing factors include the accessibility of digital media, which has changed reading habits and overemphasized short-form content due to standardized testing. This situation presents a concerning gap in the development of critical soft skills necessary for success in professional environments.
Harnessing Technology for Reading Engagement
There's a need to embrace technology, positioning it as a solution rather than a problem in the fight against declining reading scores. The platform Literal attempts to meet students where they are by modernizing literature and making it more interactive. It incorporates features like character avatars and chat formats to present full narratives, thereby engaging students who are accustomed to social media and digital communication. By transforming reading into a more immersive experience, Literal aims to revive interest in literature among adolescents.
Features and Personalization in Literal
Literal integrates a variety of features to facilitate reading engagement, including the ability to customize character avatars and understand narratives through a chat messaging format. This adaptation helps students better connect with the text, while allowing for personalization that respects their imagination and preferences. By doing this, Literal not only enhances comprehension but also encourages deeper emotional and intellectual connections with literature. The platform promotes playful reading experiences, inviting students to engage with texts in diverse and innovative ways.
A Diverse Digital Library
Literal boasts a diverse library of approximately 20,000 titles, ranging from classic literature to contemporary works, ensuring a broad representation of narratives. Content is carefully curated to align with curricular standards and reflects a diverse student population, accommodating various reading levels and preferences. The platform also features tools for translation, simplification, and even playful adaptations of texts, catering to the varied needs in modern classrooms. These resources aim to make classic literature relevant and engaging in today’s educational landscape by enhancing accessibility for all learners.
Lawton Smith is a literacy advocate focused on adolescent reading engagement and the co-founder and CEO of Literal (LiteralApp.com). Praised as a “game changer”, a “Top Tech for Advanced Learners of ELA”, and awarded a rare five stars out-of-five for “Student Engagement” by Common Sense Media, Literal is an all-in-one digital reading platform for modern classrooms that is fundamentally changing what it means to read books on screens.
💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode:
Why reading scores have declined for over a decade
How Literal makes classic texts engaging through chat-based formats
The impact of long-form reading on soft skills and mental health
How AI is used to scaffold texts with translation, rephrasing, and leveling
[00:01:17] What Literal is and how it's addressing the reading crisis [00:04:45] Key factors behind the long-term decline in reading [00:09:45] Adapting books to match students’ media habits [00:16:20] Lawton’s personal journey losing and regaining reading focus [00:23:12] Turning novels into chat conversations with avatars [00:32:56] Expanding the Literal library beyond public domain [00:36:31] How AI powers Literal’s reading support tools
This season of Edtech Insiders is once again brought to you by Tuck Advisors, the M&A firm for EdTech companies. Run by serial entrepreneurs with over 25 years of experience founding, investing in, and selling companies, Tuck believes you deserve M&A advisors who work as hard as you do.
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