Major companies including Amazon and Google, alongside emerging startups, are developing tools that enable readers to “dialogue” with digital books and audiobooks. These integrated chatbots allow users to explore historical context, character psychology, and philosophical concepts, transforming the book from a static object into a live interlocutor.
Platforms such as Sinai.ai, currently in testing, and the My Smart Book app state that their responses are based exclusively on the content of the works to respect copyright. Ahmed Kamel, head of Sinai.ai, notes that the technology offers simultaneous access to the text, audiobook, and AI interface, fostering a deeper relationship with the material.
Audible introduced a “ask a question” feature in its US audiobook catalog in 2025, providing instant answers without interrupting playback. Kindle has similarly implemented a tool to answer questions regarding plot, characters, and themes. However, the practice of extracting ideas without direct citation, as seen with iChatbook, has drawn criticism for potentially evading copyright protections.
The Authors Guild in the United States denounced in December 2025 that Amazon’s “ask this book” tools did not generate additional income for authors. In France, the legislative proposal known as the Darcos law, approved unanimously by the Senate in April 2026, sought to establish a presumption of content use by AI providers. Its review in the National Assembly has been postponed until late in the year due to over 100 amendments.
Meanwhile, companies like Sunnyvale in California are exploring “AI rights” models to remunerate creators when their works are used to feed chatbots or generate summaries.