New chapter in reading: AI companion tools let readers chat with books

Mid-listen, you can tap a button, ask your question, hear the answer, and then pick up the story right where you left off NEW YORK: Imagine a world where you could ask a book a question as you read it. That's the pitch from a wave of new AI tools letting readers do exactly that. "You are dealing with a book as if it is a living object - it's totally different," says Ahmed Kamel, CEO of Sinai.ai, a platform now in testing.With these tools, users get access to an e-book or audiobook alongside an AI chatbot. Confused about a character's motives or the historical setting? Just ask. Readers can dig into a character's psychology, historical context, or a philosophical concept -- no separate research required.French startup My Smart Book launched something similar in mid-April. Like Sinai, its chatbot draws only on the actual text of the book - no outside information. Even book-selling behemoth Amazon is in on it. Its audiobook company, Audible, launched a feature called "Ask a Question" last fall.Mid-listen, you can tap a button, ask your question, hear the answer, and then pick up the story right where you left off. "We're excited about the potential for AI-powered features to enhance t...