Kindle Gets an AI Button: You Can Now Ask Your Book Anything

Amazon has officially begun rolling out a new artificial intelligence feature for its Kindle platform that changes how readers interact with their books. Known as Ask This Book, the tool functions as an on-demand reading assistant capable of answering questions about the text you are reading.

If you have ever forgotten who a minor character is or found yourself confused by a complex plot point, this feature is designed to help. Users can simply highlight a passage or open the tool from the menu to type in queries. The AI then generates an immediate answer based on the book’s content.

One of the most important aspects of this technology is its ability to avoid spoilers. The system is programmed to only use information from the parts of the book you have already read or the specific section you are currently viewing. This ensures that future twists and endings remain a surprise while you get the clarity you need.

The feature effectively acts as a built-in study guide, offering summaries and explanations for themes, character motivations, and timelines. It is particularly useful for dense non-fiction or fantasy novels with sprawling casts of characters. Instead of searching online and risking spoilers, readers can get context without leaving the app.

Alongside this question-and-answer tool, Amazon is also introducing a Recap feature. This separate function provides a quick summary of the story so far, which is perfect for readers returning to a book after a long break. It works similarly to the “previously on” segments seen at the start of television episodes.

Currently, Ask This Book is only available for customers using the Kindle app on iOS devices in the United States. Amazon has stated that the feature will expand to Android smartphones and physical Kindle e-readers sometime in 2026.

Despite the useful functionality for readers, the rollout has not been without criticism regarding creative rights. Reports indicate that authors and publishers currently do not have the option to opt out of having their work trained on or analyzed by this specific AI tool. This has raised ongoing discussions about copyright and control in the digital publishing industry.

We are curious to hear if you think this feature ruins the reading experience or enhances it, so please share your thoughts in the comments.