NEW YORK: A new generation of artificial intelligence (AI) tools is transforming the reading experience by allowing readers to interact with books through built-in chatbots, offering instant explanations of characters, plots and historical context.
Several technology firms have introduced AI-powered features that enable readers to ask questions while reading e-books or listening to audiobooks.
The tools are designed to answer queries based only on the content of the book, without requiring readers to search elsewhere for information.
French startup My Smart Book and Sinai.ai are among the companies developing the technology, while Amazon has launched similar features through its Kindle and Audible platforms.
Audible’s “Ask a Question” allows listeners to seek clarification without interrupting the audiobook, while Kindle’s “Ask this Book” acts as an AI reading assistant.
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AI voice technology company ElevenLabs has also introduced a feature that lets users engage in two-way conversations with books.
The rapid adoption of the technology has renewed debate over copyright and author compensation.
Sinai.ai said it only works with books in the public domain or titles licensed by authors or publishers, and has developed a system to compensate rights holders when their work is used by AI.
Other platforms, however, allow users to upload copyrighted books without verifying permissions, raising concerns among publishers and authors.
Meanwhile, the Authors Guild has criticised Amazon’s AI-powered reading tools, arguing they operate without licensing agreements and fail to provide additional income or opt-in choices for authors and publishers.
