Amazon announced a major AI-generated books crackdown. The e-commerce giant confirmed this effort since many users are already complaining about the rising numbers of AI-written books.
However, the crackdown will not actually decrease the number of AI-generated books. Instead, the effort aims to ensure that these publications have disclaimers.
Amazon Announces AI-Generated Books Crackdown
Books are displayed along side an Amazon Kindle device, which offers previews of those same books on nearby shelves at the Amazon Books store on November 4, 2015 in Seattle, Washington. The online retailer opened its first brick-and-mortar book store on November 3, 2015.
According to Fox News' latest report, Amazon's latest crackdown against self-publishers using artificial intelligence requires them to put disclaimers. The e-commerce giant explained that self-publishers must inform the company if they use AI to generate translation, image, and text content.
They need to do this if they are publishing new books, making edits, and republishing existing books via Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP).
"AI-generated images include cover and interior images and artwork," said Amazon. The retailer updated its guidelines to tackle issues with AI-generated books after users started to complain about publishers who are using artificial intelligence but still claiming humans have written them.
Many people and organizations praised Amazon's new regulation, saying that it is a "welcome first step" toward the elimination of AI-written books.
"In recent months, we have seen examples of AI-generated books ascending the best-seller lists on Amazon, and content farms appropriating the names, styles, and content of well-known authors such as Jane Friedman," said the Authors Guild, America's oldest writing organization.
The Authors Guild added that AI-generated books are unfair to authors and publishers who bring their genuine talent to their books.
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Issues With AI-Written Books
Amazon Delivery signage is displayed outside an Amazon.com Inc. delivery hub during Amazon Prime Day on July 12, 2022 in Torrance, California. - What started as a one-day-only event for shopping deals in 2015 has since morphed into a 48-hour event for Amazon Prime members.
The main issue with AI-written books is that they make it hard for real writers to compete against industrialized content farms.
Another serious problem that artificial intelligence creates is increasing the number of books falsely labeled as written by real professionals. Recently, CNN Business reported that many people are using AIs to write unauthorized books and selling them under the names of real authors.
Jane Friedman, a well-known writer who authored numerous books, is one of the victims of AI-generated books. Friedman said that a reader informed her that there are AI-generated books under her name that are sold online.
These books also have titles similar to topics she writes about, such as the publishing industry. Jane said that she is concerned since she many of her works are available online for free. She explained that artificial intelligence tools can just mimic her years of work.
Aside from falsely labeled books, AI-generated content can also mislead readers. For example, if an AI-written book is about hiking, it could contain incorrect information that could put the lives of new hikers at risk.
These are just some of the risks posed by AI-generated books. You can click this link to learn more.
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