What's Happening?
The Authors Guild has expressed significant concerns regarding Amazon's new 'Ask This Book' feature, which was launched on December 11, 2025, on certain Kindle devices and the Kindle iOS app. This feature allows readers to query AI chatbots about books they have purchased or borrowed, either by highlighting text within the books or by entering questions into a dedicated chat. The AI-generated answers are derived from the books themselves. The Authors Guild argues that this feature is prone to errors and spoilers, and currently, authors and publishers cannot opt out of it. Amazon, however, defends the feature, stating that it uses book content as a prompt without retaining or using it to train the AI model. Amazon describes the feature as a natural
language expansion of existing search functionalities in Kindle apps.
Why It's Important?
The introduction of the 'Ask This Book' feature by Amazon has sparked a debate about the rights of authors and publishers. The Authors Guild is concerned that this feature could infringe on these rights by transforming books into interactive products without proper negotiation of rights. This could potentially impact the licensing market for interactive AI-enabled ebooks and audiobooks, where Amazon already holds significant influence. The Guild's concerns highlight the broader implications of AI technology in the publishing industry, particularly regarding intellectual property rights and the control authors and publishers have over their work. The feature's potential to provide inaccurate or spoiler-filled responses could also affect reader experience and trust in digital book platforms.
What's Next?
The Authors Guild is currently investigating whether the 'Ask This Book' feature infringes on authors' and publishers' rights. This investigation could lead to further discussions or actions regarding the negotiation of rights for interactive book formats. As the feature is slated for a wider rollout in 2026, the response from the publishing community and potential regulatory scrutiny could influence its future development and implementation. Stakeholders in the publishing industry may need to consider how to adapt to or challenge the integration of AI technologies in digital reading platforms.
