AI-generated knockoffs of Joanna Stern’s book keep appearing on Apple Books - 9to5Mac

Journalist Joanna Stern has publicly called out Apple regarding the persistent appearance of AI-generated knockoffs of her book, I Am Not a Robot: My Year Using AI to Do (Almost) Everything, on the Apple Books platform. This incident highlights a growing trend of unauthorized AI-produced content targeting prominent authors.

What happened

Shortly after the release of her book, Stern identified more than 10 AI-generated knockoffs available on Apple Books. These unauthorized versions often featured covers similar to her original work, with at least one instance published under a slightly misspelled version of her name. Stern escalated the issue to Apple, which initially removed the listings. However, the knockoffs reappeared on the platform shortly thereafter.

In response to the situation, Apple stated that it maintains transparency and disclosure rules regarding AI-generated content. The company further noted that its existing policies strictly prohibit content that infringes on copyright or misleads customers.

This issue is not isolated to Apple. Stern also reported finding and purchasing two AI-generated workbooks based on her title on Amazon. While Amazon has since removed those specific listings and appears to have improved its handling of such copycats for bestselling books, the incident underscores a broader challenge for authors. The situation mirrors concerns raised two years prior by author Kara Swisher, who faced a flood of AI-generated knockoffs of her book, Burn Book: A Tech Love Story, on Amazon. While Swisher was able to work with Amazon leadership to address the issue, many authors lack similar access to corporate support channels to combat these persistent digital infringements.