Amazon has launched Kindle Translate, an artificial intelligence translation platform designed to work with authors of Kindle Direct Publishing. The tool is still in beta mode, and it is meant to assist writers in gaining more readership by providing them with machine translations that writers need to revise before publishing. The first language assistance supports the English and Spanish languages in both directions and German in English. Amazon indicates that it will expand the languages over time.
Kindle Translate lets authors request a full translated edition from inside the KDP portal. Authors can manage translated files, set pricing, and publish a translated edition from the same dashboard they already use. Amazon labels translated books so readers know they were produced with the service. The company also says translations can participate in programs such as KDP Select and Kindle Unlimited.
Amazon places the functionality as a practical utility for individual writers. Amazon has less than five percent of titles in over one language, and this opens up a huge market to other authors seeking the international market. Kindle Translate is free for authors during the beta. Amazon claims the system evaluates translations for accuracy before publication, though the company has not fully disclosed the details of that automatic review process. Authors who need the highest fidelity should still consider a human edit of the AI output.
What authors should know
Authors can preview translations before they go live. The preview step is important because automated translation can introduce subtle or obvious errors, especially in fiction and other texts that depend on voice and nuance. Amazon also advises authors to proofread samples and correct the translation text where needed. The service is also supposed to accelerate and reduce the expenses of creating a translated version, rather than substituting human translators in case the writers require a literary product that has been refined completely.
How Kindle Translate works
Kindle Translate operates within the KDP portal. One selects a source manuscript, opts among the available options on the target language, and sends the book to be translated. After having the draft translation, the writer is able to edit, price it, and publish the translated version. Amazon will mark the books translated with the tool to ensure that the readers are aware of the books in which machine translations were used. The company also claims that it carries out some computerized accuracy checks prior to the release of a translated book.