AI Invasion on E-Books

Nowadays, when searching for e-books on Amazon, beware of AI-generated junk books. These books are not only bland but can even be deadly.

Some e-books, like “The Wild Mushroom Cookbook” and “Top Mushroom Field Guide for the Southwest,” dangerously advise identifying mushrooms by smell and taste. Experts have warned against this, as consuming the wrong mushroom could be fatal.

“This seems to encourage people to use tasting as a method of identification. It should never be done.” – Experts via The Guardian

AI-Generated Books and the Rise of Fake Content

AI tools like ChatGPT, launched in November 2022, sparked a wave of poorly made e-books flooding Amazon. Authors were publishing multiple books in a single day with shoddy content and generic covers. Many of these works plagiarize or rewrite existing content.

Key Concerns

• Fake biographies and summaries are hijacking sales of legitimate authors.
• Renowned tech journalist Kara Swisher faced AI-generated biographies competing with her memoir.
• The Authors Guild and experts have called for stronger content moderation on Amazon.

Impact on Authors

Authors like Melanie Mitchell and Fei-Fei Li have reported AI-generated summaries copying their books. This not only dilutes their work but also deceives readers.

Amazon’s Response

After public outcry, Amazon introduced limits on Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), restricting authors to three books per day. While a step forward, this action is not enough to curb the influx of fake AI books.

Looking Ahead

With AI rapidly advancing, stricter policies and better detection systems are essential. Protecting authors and ensuring the quality of content on platforms like Amazon must remain a priority.