Starting this year, AI-based digital textbooks (AIDT) will be introduced to 3rd and 4th grade elementary students, 1st-year middle school students, and 1st-year high school students across South Korea. However, contrary to the government’s expectations, reactions from the education field have been largely negative. Concerns have been raised about serious issues such as personal information leakage and the potential decline in students’ literacy skills. One teacher in Seoul expressed concern, saying, “I’m worried about the security of AIDT. The textbooks collect detailed personal information from students, such as their study time, patterns, and problem-solving progress. This raises the risk of data leaks or unauthorized use.” In addition, educational experts have pointed out that reading on paper tends to improve learning effectiveness and comprehension compared to reading on tablets or smartphones. Electronic textboks have faced criticism not only from public opinion but also from research findings. A study led by Professor Honma Motoyasu at Showa University in Japan found that reading E-books on smartphones can overstimulate the brain's frontal lobe hinder deep breathing, and reduce reading comprehenshion. Similarly, a study led by Professor Lynda Altamura at the University of Valencia in Spain concluded that digital reading negatively impacts vocabulary development and focus. According to Altamura, “ Digital devices are distracting, and writing online is not as rich in vocabulary and content as writing online is not as ric in vocabulary and content as writing online is not as rich in vocabulary and content as writing on paper. Children who read primarily through digital formats may develop weaker academic vocabulary. “ Due to concerns about diminished reading comprehension, several countries have reversed their digital education policies. Sweden, for instance, fully implemented digital textbooks in 2017 but, after facing issues such as declining literacy levels, reverted to paper-based education in 2023. Likewise, other Nordic countries like Finland and Norway have halted the use of digital education for young learners and are returning to traditional print-based learning. The aforementioned concerns raised above, along with the challenges faced by countries that have already adopted digital textbooks, calls for a serious reconsideration of this “digital transition” for the future of our education system. Is the shift to digital textbooks truly the right step forward, or should we explore alternative approaches to learning?