For the longest time, I was a staunch reader of physical books. While I was aware that e-readers like the Kindle existed, I was so accustomed to reading books physically and enjoyed collecting them that I initially thought an e-reader wasn't for me. It wasn't until I got my first Kindle e-reader during a sale earlier this year that I realized reading books on an e-reader is actually a much better experience than I thought it would be, thanks to its E Ink display and portability.
The feature, currently in beta for Kindle Direct Publishing Authors (KDP), is an AI-powered translation service that enables authors to share their e-books worldwide in multiple languages. So if an author writes something in English, they can also get it published in a different language using Kindle Translate to reach a wider audience.
Kindle Translate currently supports translations between English and Spanish, as well as from German to English. Amazon states that "readers can look forward to newly translated titles as more languages are introduced," indicating that more languages will be added to Kindle Translate as Amazon continues to develop it.
"With less than 5 percent of titles on Amazon.com available in more than one language, Kindle Translate creates opportunities for authors to reach new audiences and earn more," Amazon said in a blog post.
Accuracy will be a key concern for Kindle Translate
Any book translated with Kindle Translate will be clearly labeled in the Kindle Store
As with any AI translation service, Kindle Translate's accuracy will be a key concern for many people. According to Amazon, any book that uses its AI translation service will be "automatically evaluated for accuracy before publication," and authors will have the ability to preview or automatically publish completed translations.
For authors specifically, a service like Kindle Translate could be beneficial, as the cost of having a book professionally translated is typically quite expensive. The major advantage is that Kindle Translate is free, and authors can access the service easily through the KDP portal to translate titles, set prices, and publish them.
"For decades, indie authors have been unable to find a cost-effective and trustworthy solution to foreign language translation. With services like Kindle Translate, we are able to easily bring our stories to a wide international audience -- a win for authors and readers," said independent author Roxanne St. Claire in an Amazon blog post.
...the success of Kindle Translate ultimately depends on whether the translations are genuinely any good or not.
For readers, any book in the Kindle Store that has been translated using Kindle Translate will be clearly labeled as such, so you know AI was involved. Additionally, previews of the translation will be available, allowing you to judge for yourself whether the quality of the translation is any good.
I'm usually quite hesitant about anything related to AI, but I can see how Kindle Translate could be a force for good. If it puts more books in the hands of readers and helps independent authors, I consider that a win. However, the success of Kindle Translate ultimately depends on whether the translations are genuinely any good or not. Amazon hasn't shared the type of LLM (large language model) it is using to power Kindle Translate, nor how it is training it. This is just speculation on my part, but since Kindle Translate currently only supports English-to-Spanish and German-to-English translations, it may suggest Amazon is taking its time to develop this to ensure it avoids producing AI slop.