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WASHINGTON — Early this September, Amazon introduced a new set of rules for publishing AI-generated content on Kindle books. According to the new guidelines, authors publishing artificial intelligence-generated content must now declare themselves.
The new policy introduces a set of guidelines for authors who distribute their work using Kindle's Direct Publishing platform. This policy is in reaction to the slew of new AI-generated books popping up on the platform.
How Amazon's new policy works
On Sept. 7, Amazon published a declaration on its Kindle Direct Publishing Community Forum. The bookseller has been actively monitoring the rapid evolution of generative AI and its impact on reading, writing, and publishing. In order to provide the best possible shopping, reading, and publishing experience for authors and customers, they would now require that all authors declare whether new titles are in any way generated by AI.
The same rules apply to any material already on the site that gets edited and/or republished. The new AI guidelines apply to all book content, including title, cover art, and even the product description.
While the policy does not prohibit authors from using AI to create their content, authors must disclose the use.
Amazon defines 'AI-generated' content as images, text, and even translations done by an AI. Suppose the author uses artificial intelligence to create the original content. In that case, Amazon will consider the content AI-generated even if the author edits it substantially.
If the author makes the original content, whether it's a text, image, or translation, before taking the help of AI to refine it, then Amazon will consider it an 'AI-assisted' work. Even if the story is AI-generated, as long as a human creates the original piece, it is still AI-assisted and not generated content. If someone makes a text and uses AI to edit it, Amazon does not need them to declare it.
The impact of the new policy on the publishing industry
While the initial consequences of the policy might be a tad limited, this is definitely a step in the right direction. Amazon may also revisit the policy in the future and make further changes. For now, since they won't be revealing which AI-generated content, readers will still not know whether or not what they are reading is created by humans.
Considering the recent clashes between authors and AI companies, this policy is a notable early attempt, especially since it's by one of the major players in the publication industry. The policy came after months of discussions between KDP and the Authors Guild about protecting readers and authors from the effects of mass production of AI-generated content.
The case of Jane Friedman
Amazon's decision to introduce these guidelines follows its removal of AI content masquerading as real authors' work. For example, there is the case of Jane Friedman. Dubious fans informed Friedman of odd new book titles popping up on Goodreads and Amazon filed under her name.
She quickly realized sellers were using AI to mimic her work and publishing them through KDP. She contacted Amazon, and after some discussion, Amazon removed the books from their platform.
"There's not much that makes me angry these days about writing and publishing," she writes on her website. "I know my work gets pirated, and frankly, I don't care. (I'm not saying other authors shouldn't care, but that's not a battle worth my time today.) But here's what does rankle me: garbage books getting uploaded to Amazon where my name is credited as the author," she adds.
Her case, again, proves the importance of Amazon's new policy and other steps companies and platforms are taking to protect creative artists and consumers. The clear labeling of AI-generated content, at least to Amazon, will allow the platform to do just that.
In the larger battle against artificial intelligence displacing humans, this move is ultimately beneficial and a win for those constantly fighting for the rights of creative artists and consumers.
The Authors Guild, for example, is trying to ensure that companies only use licensed work to train AI. They are also trying to reduce the unchecked use of AI to create entire texts mimicking real authors. Content farms and sellers can easily make use of AI to generate texts by copying existing writers' styles. That poses a severe threat, especially since multiple AI-generated books are rising to the ranks of bestsellers on Amazon.
But, of course, AI is not all bad. Ethical use of AI tech can help authors generate ideas and edit, refine, and organize their work. Amazon also recognizes this as its policy focuses on AI-generated content, not AI-assisted content.
This article was produced by Bookworm Era and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.
