Even the most serious readers sometimes lose track of what’s going on in a particular book. So, Amazon is rolling out a new feature on the Kindle iOS app that lets people use AI to ask questions about what they’re reading.
The problem: authors have no say in whether it’s applied to their books or not.
The Ask This Book feature allows users to highlight any passage from a book they’ve purchased or borrowed and ask questions about it without leaving the page. For example, it can fill readers in on plot details or explain the background of certain characters.
Amazon didn’t disclose exactly how many books work with Ask This Book, but says “thousands” of bestselling English-language books are included. The feature will roll out to physical Kindle devices and Android in 2026.
However, the tool could prove controversial in today’s hotly contested AI-copyright environment. In an interview with publishing-industry magazine PubLunch, spotted by book site Reactor, an Amazon spokesperson said: “To ensure a consistent reading experience, the feature is always on, and there is no option for authors or publishers to opt titles out.”
Amazon also reportedly failed to answer PubLunch’s questions about what licensing rights it is using to enable the new tool, “nor did they elaborate on the technical details of the service and any protections involved.” For example, it’s unclear how Amazon plans to prevent AI hallucinations or whether the text could be used for AI training by large language models.
(Credit: Amazon )
If you’re interested in trying the feature anyway, head to Ask This Book in the in-book menu, or simply highlight any passage as you read. You can then tap one of the suggested questions or type your own to get answers from Amazon’s new tool—and keep the conversation going with follow-up questions.
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In another potential plus for forgetful readers, Kindle is also introducing a Recaps feature. Amazon says this works much like the “Previously on…” segment before a TV show, providing a quick refresher on storylines and character arcs in Kindle books you own or have borrowed.
The feature is already available on both Kindle devices and the Kindle app for iOS users in the US. To access it on a physical Kindle, look for the View Recaps button on the series page in your Kindle Library by clicking the three-dot menu within the series grouping. On the Kindle iOS app, the same option appears when you press and hold the series grouping.
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