Kindle Unlimited in crisis: Amazon struggles with influx of AI-generated books
In recent news, it has come to light that books generated by artificial intelligence (AI) and filled with nonsensical content are dominating Amazon’s bestselling lists, as pointed out by self-published author Caitlyn Lynch on Twitter. Numerous authors have noticed a significant surge in the number of AI-generated novels appearing on these lists, many of which are of low quality.
This trend has led to concerns about the integrity of Amazon’s bestseller rankings. Lynch’s tweet highlighted that in the Best Sellers in Teen & Young Adult Contemporary Romance eBooks top 100 chart, only 19 books appeared to be legitimate, while the rest were AI-generated books likely intended to manipulate rankings through click farming.
The rise of AI-generated books on Amazon reflects the growing presence of self-publishing, particularly through platforms like Amazon’s Kindle Direct Program. This avenue has allowed many genuine authors to connect with readers and build a following without the support of traditional publishers.
The issue at hand is the proliferation of AI-generated books that lack originality and quality, potentially misleading readers and impacting the overall integrity of Amazon’s book rankings.
