AI Generated Image
Hidden AirTag appears to confirm suspicions about illicit AI book scanning
9to5Mac • • business
Key Points:
- Booksellers have noticed suspicious bulk orders of used books, believed to be purchased by AI companies for scanning and training AI systems without author consent or payment.
- An investigation by 404 Media revealed a tracking device hidden in a rare book led to an Amazon facility where books are scanned and destroyed after their bindings are removed.
- Employees confirmed that large shipments of books are processed to extract text quickly for AI training, raising ethical concerns over the unauthorized use of authors' work.
- Used books are particularly targeted because post-2022 publications may contain AI-generated content, complicating copyright and training data issues.
- Intellectual property laws have not kept pace with these practices, with a 2025 US ruling permitting such use as “transformative,” while similar actions would likely be illegal in the UK.
