Audible will test audiobook search using AI

Audiobook company Audible, owned by Amazon, has announced the start of testing an artificial intelligence-based search feature that should make it much easier for users to find audiobooks. Select customers in the US are now able to interact with Maven, Audible’s new AI personalized recommendation expert that suggests audiobooks based on user requests.

Image source: Audible

When searching, the user can use natural language to enter queries, and Maven will provide personalized recommendations based on Audible’s catalog of nearly a million books.

Maven AI search will be available on iOS and Android devices. Nearly half of Audible’s US customers will have access to this feature, regardless of their plan. Currently, the company says search scope is limited to a “subset” of its audiobook library. In the future, Audible plans to develop and improve the new search tool.

Audible did not specify which AI models were used to develop the Maven search engine. A company spokesperson noted that Maven leverages the “strengths of several models” and will “continuously evaluate” them as they improve.

Along with announcing the launch of Maven, Audible said it is also experimenting with AI-curated “Collections” and AI-generated reviews. Audible Collections is notable because it could be Audible’s answer to Spotify’s AI-generated playlists.

Earlier, there was backlash from actors and other creatives after it was reported that, as of May 2024, more than 40,000 books in the Audible library were narrated by AI. Today their number has probably increased markedly.