Amazon’s new Kindle function is likely one of the first helpful AI options I’ve seen

Amazon is rolling out a brand-new function throughout its Kindle e-reader line within the US: a ‘Recaps’ device for rapidly getting on top of things on whichever digital ebook you’ve got been selecting away at.

Particularly, Recaps makes use of a mixture of artificial intelligence (GenAI) and Amazon moderators to supply storyline and character arc refreshers on a per-book foundation. These quick recaps work throughout each bought and borrowed Kindle ebooks, as long as the piece of literary work in query is written within the English language.

“By including a brand new stage of comfort to collection studying, the Recaps function permits readers to dive deeper into complicated worlds and characters with out shedding the enjoyment of discovery, all whereas making certain an uninterrupted studying expertise throughout each style,” says Amazon in a blog post.

In line with the corporate, the brand new Recaps function is now broadly out there throughout all Kindle gadgets inside the US. The iOS and iPadOS cell Kindle app can be up to date to include the function “quickly,” however there isn’t any phrase on if and when the Android model of the app can be up to date so as to add assist.

Amazon Kindle

Amazon’s first-party Kindle app for downloading and studying all of your favourite ebooks throughout your cell gadgets.

This new Kindle Recaps function represents a genuinely helpful AI use case

I simply hope Amazon’s AI tech has the chops to ship passable abstract outcomes

Pocket-lint / Amazon

Till now, I have been pretty essential of most purposes and have units that depend on artifical intelligence to get the job executed. Whether or not we’re speaking about agentic (suppose: digital assistant bots) or GenAI (suppose: generative picture creation instruments) merchandise, I’ve struggled to include AI into my each day workflow to any significant diploma.

Each once in a while, nevertheless, I am going to run right into a hyper-specific AI answer that merely clicks for me. Just lately, these have included Apple’s excellent Clean Up tool, in addition to Google’s fantastic Pixel Call Screen feature. Whereas I’ve but to strive it out for myself, I’ve a hunch that Amazon’s new Racaps function for Kindle will fall into this coveted class for me.

Amazon likens Recaps to the “Beforehand on…” section earlier than a TV present, and I believe that is an apt comparability. As a sluggish and on-again-off-again reader, I are likely to lose observe of plot factors and sure character developments once I lastly hunker all the way down to proceed a ebook wherever I left off. Assuming Recaps’ AI and human moderation combo is reasonably accurate and in a position to ship strong summaries, I can see myself utilizing the function often,

From my perspective, AI instruments ought to work within the background, and they need to resolve issues proactively and with out the necessity for a lot person enter. They should not purpose to resolve issues that do not exist, and they need to seamlessly combine into present workflows with out a steep studying curve. At first blush, Amazon’s Recaps function seems to suit the invoice.

Associated

Should you upgrade to the latest Kindle generation?

For some individuals, it is might a query of switching fashions, not simply getting one thing newer.

Unsurprisingly, Amazon is wholeheartedly embracing AI

The corporate’s new Alexa+ digital assistant is infused with synthetic intelligence

Amazon

It ought to come as no shock that Amazon is making an attempt to infuse synthetic intelligence into its Kindle e-reader ecosystem. The corporate seems to be all-in on AI, embracing the tech in its recently announced next-gen Alexa+ digital assistant.

Massive tech corporations from throughout the trade are vying for a slice of the AI pie, regardless of issues over waning client curiosity ranges, and the potential of a dot-com-style bubble-bursting scenario going down in some unspecified time in the future.

Amazon’s AI prowess has but to be totally put by its paces — whether or not we’re speaking about Alexa+ or the brand new Recaps function for Kindle, the corporate is actually working in a cut-throat market. Google, Microsoft, OpenAI, Meta, and others are all closely invested in cracking open the buyer AI market through large language models (LLMs) and the like.

I am nonetheless not satisfied that chatbots or generative image-creator purposes are the revelation tech corporations make them out to be. Smaller-scale instruments like Kindle Recaps, then again, are precisely the form of sprinkling of AI that I believe prospects will really make use of and admire.

Associated

Kindle’s surprise page-turning update is actually really useful

Amazon has launched a brand new replace for Kindle gadgets that allow you to flip pages with out touching the display.