How does Libby decide which books are AI-generated?

OverDrive is relying on publishers to self-label their works using standardized metadata, rather than using an AI checker tool. Books are labeled only if publishers correctly identify them as AI-generated.

What percentage of Libby's current catalog is AI-generated?

The body does not state this. However, CEO DeBevoise notes that "everything before 2020 [or] 2022 is by definition not AI" and that "the majority of our catalog is not" AI-generated, since most books predate modern LLMs.

Will Libby filter out machine translation?

Libby's new AI filters include an option to filter out machine translation, but that only works if books are being labeled correctly.

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Libby adds filters to let readers opt out of AI-generated books

The Verge AI14h ago5 min read

Key takeaway

Libby, the free library lending app available through tens of thousands of public libraries worldwide, is rolling out AI content filters that let readers opt out of AI-generated books, audiobooks, translations, and artwork. The move comes as the digital publishing industry braces for an influx of AI-generated titles; Libby's catalog already works with sources that accept AI content, so the filters aim to give readers choice while the company leverages AI for features like book discovery and audiobook localization.

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3 Key Points

What happened
Libby, the free ebook and audiobook lending app run by OverDrive, is introducing AI content controls that let readers choose in the app's settings whether to see AI-generated content. The filters cover AI authorship, AI-narrated audiobooks, machine translation, and AI-generated art. OverDrive is relying on publishers to self-label their works rather than using an AI checker.
Why it matters
Libby serves over 92,000 public libraries, schools, and universities in over 115 countries and its catalog of over 6 million books has been borrowed over a billion times. The company faces a wave of AI-generated books entering the market—Kobo revealed last month that it rejects nearly half of all self-published books over AI concerns. Libby works with self-publishing intermediary Draft to Digital, which allows AI-generated books as long as they have gone through "extensive editing from a human," making it likely that some AI titles will enter Libby's catalog.
What to watch
Audiobooks, despite being only 15 percent of Libby's catalog, now account for roughly half of all app usage. OverDrive's new AI filters include an option to filter out machine translation, but that only works if books are labeled correctly. CEO Marc DeBevoise sees AI potential in localization and content recommendations, though he still prefers audiobooks read by actual voice actors over synthetic narration.

FAQ

How does Libby decide which books are AI-generated?: OverDrive is relying on publishers to self-label their works using standardized metadata, rather than using an AI checker tool. Books are labeled only if publishers correctly identify them as AI-generated.
What percentage of Libby's current catalog is AI-generated?: The body does not state this. However, CEO DeBevoise notes that "everything before 2020 [or] 2022 is by definition not AI" and that "the majority of our catalog is not" AI-generated, since most books predate modern LLMs.
Will Libby filter out machine translation?: Libby's new AI filters include an option to filter out machine translation, but that only works if books are being labeled correctly.

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