“You are dealing with a book as if it is a living object it’s totally different,” says Ahmed Kamel, CEO of Sinai.ai, a platform now in testing. With these tools, users get access to an e-book or audiobook alongside an AI chatbot.
Confused about a character’s motives or the historical setting? Just ask. Readers can dig into a character’s psychology, historical context, or a philosophical concept, no separate research required.
French startup My Smart Book launched something similar in mid April. Like Sinai, its chatbot draws only on the actual text of the book, no outside information. Even book selling behemoth Amazon is in on it. Its audiobook company, Audible, launched a feature called “Ask a Question” last fall.
We’re excited about the potential for AI powered features to enhance the customer experience,” an Audible spokesperson told AFP, adding the tool is “designed to answer questions specifically about the audiobook the listener is currently engaged with.”
The company thinks it could pull in new fans too, making books “more accessible and appetizing to a broader range of listeners.”