Amazon brings AI features to Kindle iOS app, leaving older ereaders behind
Amazon has unveiled new AI tools for its Kindle iOS app, including series recaps and an AI chatbot, but they are initially limited to newer devices and US users, sparking copyright concerns.
Amazon officially announced in June 2026 a suite of artificial intelligence features aimed at enhancing the reading experience on its Kindle platform. The company frames these add-ons as making it easier for readers to stay immersed in books by offering spoiler-free recaps and an AI assistant that answers questions about plot details, character relationships, and thematic elements.
What's new?
The first feature, Recaps, functions similarly to "previously on" segments from television shows. Readers can get quick refreshers on previous installments of a series, including key plot points and character developments. However, Amazon warns that these recaps are not entirely spoiler-free. A new addition is Story So Far, which provides spoiler-free summaries tailored to the reader's current position in a story. This is available on all Kindle Scribe devices, as well as Kindles, Kindle Colorsofts, or Kindle Paperwhites released in 2024 or later.
The second feature is the Ask this Book AI chatbot, which allows readers to ask questions about the plot, characters, and themes of a book. Responses are tailored to the reader's place in the story, but can also cover the entire book. The chatbot is currently available only on the US version of the Kindle iOS app. It will be extended to newer Kindle devices and the Android app by the end of 2026.
Availability and limitations
Amazon is rolling out these features first on its iOS app for US customers. Android users can expect them by year's end. Newer Kindle devices (2024 models and later) will receive both features, with Ask this Book coming to those later this year. However, older Kindle models will not get the update. Amazon has discontinued support for its earliest models, meaning users cannot import new titles, though existing ones will still work.
Copyright controversy
Amazon's AI features have sparked criticism from the Authors Guild, which argues that the company did not seek prior permission from authors and publishers to include their works in the chatbot. The Guild claims the features "turn books into searchable, interactive products akin to enhanced ebooks or annotated editions—a new format for which rights should be specifically negotiated."
Amazon responded that Ask this Book only uses content from the book as a prompt, not to train its underlying LLM. The company also likened the feature to internet searches readers already make, asserting no license is required. Currently, authors and publishers have no opt-out option. An Amazon spokesman said the company chose not to provide an opt-out to maintain "a consistent reading experience." Given Amazon's dominance of the ebook market (estimated at three-quarters of the market), authors have little leverage. The Authors Guild warned this sets "a dangerous precedent for the future of licensing for AI features."
The controversy underscores ongoing legal battles over AI and copyright. Whether authors will be compensated remains uncertain, but Amazon's new features reflect the forces shaping the next era of book publishing.
