Libby plans AI filters for library ebooks
OverDrive’s Libby app will add controls for AI-made or AI-assisted titles, but The Verge reports the filters will depend on self-labeling.
By James Whitfield · Staff Writer
2 min read
Libby is preparing to add controls that let readers filter AI-related books and audiobooks in the ebook-lending app, according to The Verge. The change matters because Libby serves public library users at large scale, and the planned filters will depend on AI content being self-labeled.
The Verge reported that the controls will appear in Libby’s settings and will let users choose whether they want to see material identified as AI-generated or AI-assisted. The planned categories include AI authorship, AI-narrated audiobooks, machine translation and AI-generated art, according to the report.
Marc DeBevoise, who became CEO of OverDrive last week, told The Verge that AI is a new area of focus for the company. OverDrive is the company behind Libby, which The Verge described as available through tens of thousands of public libraries.
DeBevoise told The Verge that OverDrive needs to tell users what content is available and how it was created. He also said AI could have benefits for access to information and content if used properly, pointing to areas such as recommendations and localization.
The planned controls reflect a careful position by OverDrive, according to The Verge: letting readers and librarians avoid AI-labeled material while leaving room for AI uses the company sees as helpful. The report said Libby added AI features for book discovery last year and then faced backlash.
The self-labeling approach may limit how complete the filters are. The Verge’s report says the controls will rely on content being labeled as AI-related, rather than describing an independent detection system for every ebook, audiobook, translation or cover image.
That distinction is central for readers who want to avoid AI-made material. If a work is not marked as involving AI, the planned filter would have no label to act on, based on The Verge’s description of the system.
The move also shows how AI is starting to affect digital library services beyond search or recommendations. OverDrive’s catalog and history predate the current surge of generative AI tools, The Verge reported, leaving the company to address new questions about how books and related media are made, labeled and discovered.
This story draws on original reporting from The Verge.