{"id":316452,"date":"2025-12-15T01:33:22","date_gmt":"2025-12-15T01:33:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/316452\/"},"modified":"2025-12-15T01:33:22","modified_gmt":"2025-12-15T01:33:22","slug":"kindles-new-ai-feature-can-answer-questions-about-your-books-whether-authors-want-it-or-not","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/316452\/","title":{"rendered":"Kindle\u2019s New AI Feature Can Answer Questions About Your Books (Whether Authors Want It or Not)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Whether you\u2019re reading dense, challenging 19th-century classics or the latest thriller, sometimes even the best readers lose track of what\u2019s actually going on, such as who&#8217;s who or how characters relate to each other.<\/p>\n<p>Now, Amazon is rolling out a new feature via the Kindle iOS app that uses AI to give readers answers about the books in their Kindle library\u2014whether authors choose to opt in or not. Called Ask This Book, the new feature allows users to highlight any passage from a book they\u2019ve bought or borrowed on their iPhone\u2019s Kindle app and ask questions about what they\u2019re reading without leaving the page. For example, it can fill readers in on plot details or explain who certain characters are.<\/p>\n<p>Amazon didn\u2019t disclose exactly how many books the feature is currently available for, but said \u201cthousands\u201d of bestselling English-language books have been enabled. The company said the feature will roll out to physical Kindle devices and Android in 2026, though no firm date was given. <\/p>\n<p>However, the tech giant has provided few details about how the new feature actually works, and the tool could prove controversial in today\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/news\/apple-sued-over-alleged-use-of-pirated-books-for-ai-training\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">hotly contested AI-copyright environment.<\/a> In an interview with publishing-industry magazine PubLunch, spotted by book site <a href=\"https:\/\/reactormag.com\/new-kindle-feature-ai-answer-questions-books-authors\/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"(Opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Reactor<\/a>, an Amazon spokesperson said: \u201cTo ensure a consistent reading experience, the feature is always on, and there is no option for authors or publishers to opt titles out.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Amazon also reportedly failed to answer <a href=\"https:\/\/lunch.publishersmarketplace.com\/2025\/12\/kindles-new-ask-this-book-uses-generative-ai-to-create-an-in-book-chatbot-without-permission-or-rights\/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"(Opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">PubLunch\u2019s questions<\/a> about what licensing rights it is using to enable the new tool, adding: \u201cnor did they elaborate on the technical details of the service and any protections involved.\u201d For example, it\u2019s not clear how Amazon plans to prevent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/encyclopedia\/term\/ai-hallucination\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">AI hallucinations<\/a>, or whether the text could be used for AI training by large language models.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=\" http:=\"\" class=\"\" data-image-loader=\"https:\/\/i.pcmag.com\/imagery\/articles\/04wXpkWd1jyrZOk78g89czg-2.jpg\" data-lazy-sized=\"\" alt=\"Kindle AI Picture \" data-image-path=\"articles\/04wXpkWd1jyrZOk78g89czg-2.jpg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>\n    (Credit: Amazon )\n<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re interested in trying the feature anyway, head to Ask This Book in the in-book menu, or simply highlight any passage as you read. You can then tap one of the suggested questions or type your own to get answers from Amazon\u2019s new tool\u2014and keep the conversation going with follow-up questions.<\/p>\n<p>        Recommended by Our Editors<\/p>\n<p>In another potential plus for forgetful readers, Kindle is also introducing a Recaps feature. Amazon says this works much like the \u201cPreviously on\u2026\u201d segment before a TV show, providing a quick refresher on storylines and character arcs in Kindle books you own or have borrowed.<\/p>\n<p>The feature is already available on both Kindle devices and the Kindle app for iOS users in the US. To access it on a physical Kindle, look for the View Recaps button on the series page in your Kindle Library by clicking the three-dot menu within the series grouping. On the Kindle iOS app, the same option appears when you press and hold the series grouping.<\/p>\n<p>            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"opacity-20 absolute right-0 top-0 z-0 hidden md:block\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/images\/newsletter-envelope.svg\" alt=\"Newsletter Icon\" style=\"max-width:220px; max-height:140px; pointer-events:none;\"\/><\/p>\n<p>                <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"opacity-20 h-full w-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/images\/newsletter-envelope.svg\" alt=\"Newsletter Icon\"\/><\/p>\n<p>\n                Get Our Best Stories!\n            <\/p>\n<p>                                            Your Daily Dose of Our Top Tech News<\/p>\n<p>                                                            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"h-auto w-full rounded-md object-cover md:rounded-l-md\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/1764234254_67_17768392-contextual.fit_lpad.size_250x140.v1752614006.png\" alt=\"What's New Now Newsletter Image\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Sign up for our What&#8217;s New Now newsletter to receive the latest news, best new products, and expert advice from the editors of PCMag.<\/p>\n<p>Sign up for our What&#8217;s New Now newsletter to receive the latest news, best new products, and expert advice from the editors of PCMag.<\/p>\n<p class=\"roboto-flex mt-2 text-xs font-normal leading-tight text-black md:whitespace-nowrap\">\n                            By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our <a class=\"underline\" href=\"https:\/\/uk.pcmag.com\/terms\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Terms of Use<\/a> and <a class=\"underline\" href=\"https:\/\/uk.pcmag.com\/privacy\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Privacy<br \/>\n                                Policy<\/a>.\n                        <\/p>\n<p class=\"text-green-500 mt-2 text-xl font-bold\">Thanks for signing up!<\/p>\n<p class=\"mt-2\">Your subscription has been confirmed. Keep an eye on your inbox!<\/p>\n<p>        About Our Expert<\/p>\n<p>                                                            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-[60px] shrink-0 overflow-hidden rounded-full bg-gray-100 ring ring-white\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/04RavpQbWHTQPDMte8CODw9.fit_lim.size_100x100.v1727976184.webp.webp\" alt=\"Will McCurdy\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Experience<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m a reporter covering weekend news. Before joining PCMag in 2024, I picked up bylines in BBC News, The Guardian, The Times of London, The Daily Beast, Vice, Slate, Fast Company, The Evening Standard, The i, TechRadar, and Decrypt Media.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ve been a PC gamer since you had to install games from multiple CD-ROMs by hand. As a reporter, I\u2019m passionate about the intersection of tech and human lives. I\u2019ve covered everything from crypto scandals to the art world, as well as conspiracy theories, UK politics, and Russia and foreign affairs.<\/p>\n<p>                                        <a class=\"w-fit self-end text-base font-bold uppercase leading-none underline\" data-module=\"author-bio\" data-element=\"read-full-bio\" data-item=\"text_link\" data-position=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/uk.pcmag.com\/authors\/will-mccurdy\" aria-label=\"Will McCurdy &#039;s Full Author Bio\" x-track-ga-click=\"\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><br \/>\n                        Read Full Bio<br \/>\n                    <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Whether you\u2019re reading dense, challenging 19th-century classics or the latest thriller, sometimes even the best readers lose track&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":316453,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[554,733,4308,86,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-316452","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-artificial-intelligence","8":"tag-ai","9":"tag-artificial-intelligence","10":"tag-artificialintelligence","11":"tag-technology","12":"tag-uk","13":"tag-united-kingdom","14":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/316452","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=316452"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/316452\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/316453"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=316452"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=316452"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=316452"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}