Kindle's AI Recaps: Summarizing Book Series for Easy Reading

04/04/2025 Technology

Amazon is rolling out a new feature called "Recaps" for Kindle users, designed to help readers remember key plot points and character developments before diving into the next book in a series. This feature is particularly useful for long series where it can be difficult to keep track of everything that has happened.

While Amazon's initial announcement didn't explicitly mention artificial intelligence (AI), the company has confirmed that the recaps are indeed AI-generated. According to Amazon spokesperson Ale Iraheta, the company uses a combination of GenAI and human moderators to create concise and accurate summaries of books.

The introduction of AI into this process has sparked some debate among users, with some expressing concerns about the accuracy of the AI-generated recaps. While Amazon assures users that the summaries accurately reflect the content of the books, it remains to be seen how well the AI performs in practice. TechCrunch has requested further details about the process to ensure transparency.

Availability and Access

Currently, the "Recaps" feature is available to Kindle device users in the United States for thousands of popular English-language e-book series. Amazon plans to extend this feature to the Kindle app for iOS in the near future.

To access the recaps, users need to ensure they have the latest Kindle software installed. A "View Recaps" button will appear on the series page in the Kindle Library, or via a "View Recaps" option within the series grouping three-dot menu.

Before viewing the recap, users will be warned that it contains spoilers about major plot points and characters. This ensures that readers who are new to a series won't have their reading experience ruined.

Amazon believes that the "Recaps" feature will enhance the reading experience by making it easier for readers to immerse themselves in complex worlds and characters without losing track of the story. This is particularly helpful for readers who take breaks between books in a series or who simply have trouble remembering details from previous installments.

The company states that recaps are available for a wide variety of series, from epic fantasy to mystery thrillers, encompassing both trending titles and established classics. The goal is to provide a convenient and accessible way for readers to stay engaged with their favorite series.