On Thursday, Amazon introduced Kindle Translate, an AI-driven translation tool aimed at helping authors on Kindle Direct Publishing expand their audience. Currently in beta, the service supports translations between English and Spanish, as well as from German to English. Additional language options are expected to be added in the future.
Amazon pointed out that fewer than 5% of books on its platform are available in more than one language, highlighting a significant potential for AI-powered translation solutions.
Naturally, AI translations are not flawless and may introduce mistakes. To mitigate this, Amazon gives authors the option to review their translated content before it goes live. However, if an author is using the tool to translate into a language they do not know, this preview feature may not be very helpful—they would still need a professional translator to verify the AI’s work for maximum accuracy.
(Amazon states that its AI translations undergo “automatic accuracy evaluation” prior to release, though it does not specify the exact procedures involved.)
According to Amazon, authors can handle and access their translated books through the Kindle Direct Publishing dashboard, where they are able to select languages, set pricing, and publish their translated titles.
For readers, books translated by AI will be clearly marked as “Kindle Translate” editions, and sample previews of the translations will be available.
Kindle Translate enters a market with numerous other AI translation platforms and tools, which often support more languages and have varying costs. Open source alternatives also exist. Some industry professionals argue that human translators are better at conveying subtle meanings, especially in literature and fiction. Nonetheless, AI technology is advancing and is expected to continue improving in this area.
Currently, Amazon is offering the Kindle Translate service at no cost. An early user quoted in Amazon’s announcement praised this feature, noting that independent authors have long sought an “affordable and reliable option.”
Amazon also mentions that translated works can be included in other programs such as KDP Select and are part of the Kindle Unlimited subscription.
