Amazon has, like Google, been jamming AI into every product it can get its hands on, and next up are features for Kindle Direct Publishers. For those who don’t know, KDP is a platform where writers (of varying skill) can create and sell their work without bothering with agents or editors or anything like that.
Soon, authors will have Kindle Translate in their corner, allowing for translation of their magnum opus into other languages for other markets. First, though, the feature has to get out of its limited beta.
Does this Kindle your interest?
Amazon will give “select Kindle Direct Publishing authors” access to the new translation function, which the company says “creates opportunities for authors to reach new audiences and earn more.” The range of translation languages is limited, for now, to switching between English and Spanish (or back) and from English to German. The option to switch tongues is available in the KDP portal, and, for pantsters, there’s even an option to translate and publish without previewing the text first.
“All translations are automatically evaluated for accuracy before publication, and authors can choose whether to preview or automatically publish completed translations,” said Amazon.
Part of the reason given for the feature’s introduction is that less than 5% of the books on Amazon’s store are available in more than one language, though the chance to claim a few more monthly AI users is probably also attractive for the online retailer. Translated works will be eligible for KDP Select, and could prove a valuable revenue stream for those folks who insist on creating new isekai or monster romance novels every weekend.
