Audible, the audiobook subsidiary of Amazon, has launched a beta test for a new AI-powered search feature named “Maven.” This feature aims to enhance user experience by providing personalized audiobook recommendations based on natural language queries. Maven allows users to ask for specific types of books, such as “an uplifting fiction novel with a female protagonist,” and responds with tailored suggestions from Audible’s vast catalog of nearly one million titles. The feature is currently available to around half of Audible’s U.S. customers on iOS and Android, but it only covers a subset of the audiobook library.
Audible has not disclosed the specific AI models behind Maven, but the company mentioned that it utilizes “the strengths of multiple models” and plans to continuously refine the feature. In addition to Maven, Audible is also experimenting with AI-curated collections and AI-generated summaries of user reviews, reflecting a broader trend of integrating AI into content discovery and personalization.
This development comes amidst growing controversy over the increasing use of AI-narrated audiobooks. As of May 2024, over 40,000 titles on Audible were narrated by AI, leading to concerns from human narrators about job displacement. Audible’s ongoing expansion of AI features indicates its commitment to leveraging AI to improve user experience, despite the challenges and criticisms from the creative community.
