Kobo, a Rakuten subsidiary, is known for being a more author-friendly alternative to Amazon Kindle. However, recent changes to its self-publishing platform, Kobo Writing Life, have raised concerns among authors about the implications of AI features introduced in updated Terms of Service effective June 28. Many authors feel unclear about how these changes will affect their work, as there are no options to opt out. The new terms permit Kobo to utilize AI for purposes like enhancing book discoverability and generating promotional material, yet authors worry about potential misclassifications and inaccuracies in AI-generated content, such as recaps. While Kobo assures that it won’t use authors’ works to train AI, many remain skeptical. Authors express a desire for a transparent dialogue with Kobo to navigate the evolving landscape, fearing that the platform’s once clear author-friendly stance could shift. Overall, the integration of AI poses significant uncertainties for self-published writers.
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