The Use of Artificial Intelligence on Amazon

The Use of Artificial Intelligence on Amazon

In recent months Amazon has been inundated with books that have been created using AI-generated content. As a result of this Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) announced that all account holders must declare the use of artificial intelligence on Amazon. 

New content guidelines

When listing your book for publication on KDP be aware of the new content guidelines.

This is a MASSIVE change to the publishing process. 

When you list your book on KDP there is a section devoted to artificial intelligence. You must declare if you’ve used artificial intelligence to generate your content.

In Amazon’s KDP Forum, they state:

We are actively monitoring the rapid evolution of generative AI and the impact it is having on reading, writing, and publishing, and we remain committed to providing the best possible shopping, reading, and publishing experience for our authors and customers. To that end, beginning today, when you publish a new title or make edits to and re-publish an existing title through KDP, you will be asked whether your content is AI-generated.

AI-generated content

Amazon says that you need to declare if the text, images, or translations have been generated by artificial intelligence (AI). This applies to new books and to existing books that are being republished.

Amazon says it includes AI-generated images for the cover and interior images and artwork. 

AI-assisted content

But with AI-assisted content the situation is different.

If you created the content yourself and used AI-based tools to edit and refine  your manuscript then it is considered “AI-assisted” and not “AI-generated.”

Similarly, if you used an AI-based tool to brainstorm and generate ideas, but ultimately created the text or images yourself, this is also considered “AI-assisted” and not “AI-generated.” It is not necessary to inform Amazon of the use of such tools or processes.

Amazon states that you are responsible for verifying that all AI-generated and/or AI-assisted content adheres to the content guidelines.

KDP Content Guidelines

As always, whether publishers make use of AI technologies or not, all books in the Amazon store must adhere to their KDP Content Guidelines.This includes the requirement that you accurately inform them when content is AI-generated.

Self-publishing expert, Dale Roberts, believes this new directive is probably a PR move by Amazon since so much AI content has been hitting the market and a lot of it is considered “garbage”.

Full disclosure

So Amazon wants full disclosure. For instance, in the drop-down boxes you have to indicate the degree to which you have used AI.

There is currently a vigorous debate going on as to whether this directive is a positive move or a negative one.

But it is creating transparency between the publisher and the marketplace and is getting the author to be truthful.

The bottom line is that AI can be great for providing assistance to authors. It can help with the self-publishing process such as with editing, grammar, and refining the text.

While AI can be leveraged to assist you, it may be prudent to exercise caution if using it to generate content.

To learn more about self-publishing your book register for my free, online, live class. Get your ticket now by clicking the green button below.

Marji Hill

Author and Coach