• Source:JND

Amazon seems to be preparing a major change in the way readers use their Kindle with the emergence of a new feature that would enable readers to ask questions about the book that they are actually reading using AI.

Named “Ask This Book,” the feature is said to enable readers to highlight any text in a Kindle e-book and instantly research that text without having to flick between screens. According to a report by publishing trade magazine PubLunch, the feature is intended to enable readers to understand plots, characters, or sections of a book better without detracting from the experience.

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How Ask This Book Works

This feature is limited to the iOS app for the Kindle. It is accessed through the in-book menu by choosing Ask This Book, selecting a highlighted text, then choosing between suggested questions or making their own. Additionally, discussions are taken further by asking additional questions through the same message box in order to get responses related to the material of the book by the AI.

Apparently, thousands of bestselling books in the English language have already been enabled with Ask This Book, although the Amazon company has not announced the number of books that support this service.

Larger Rollout Scheduled for 2026

Although it is not possible with the current Amazon Kindle devices or the Android application, Amazon is apparently developing a plan for the mass implementation of this functionality by the year 2026. When that is accomplished, it could be among the biggest functional upgrades since the release of Kindle.

Concerns among authors, publishers, and related stakeholders

This feature has already raised some concerns in the publishing trade. Apparently, authors and publishers do not get to decide if their books can or cannot be used with the Ask This Book feature. In response to this issue, an Amazon spokesperson went on to say for PCmag: “The feature is always on, for the purposes of ensuring the reader experience is consistent, and authors or publishers do not get to opt titles out of it.”

This is especially true given the recent surge in AI copyright infringement lawsuits and fears about the existence of large language model hallucinations. There still remain many questions about licensing rights, training data, and accuracy that remain unanswered.

Hardware Developments in the Kindle Continue

At the same time, Amazon is also upgrading its tablet offerings in the form of its Kindle series. Amazon recently unveiled a new Kindle Paperwhite for the Indian market with an enhanced 7-inch screen, thinner body, and better performance features. It still features a 300 ppi glare screen that is designed to provide a paper-reading experience.

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Amazon is also launching a new Kindle Scribe, with the ability to write using the stylus attached to it, accompanied by a colour screen for the first time; this is Amazon’s plan to merge reading, writing, and AI-based engagement. As “Ask This Book” grows in reach, it could fundamentally shift the way readers interact with books despite the looming questions of ownership of creativity and the dependability of AI.


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