The question: You used AI to help write your book. When you reach the KDP upload form and it asks about AI-generated content — which answer do you choose?
The answer depends on a single distinction: who created the content, the AI or you?
The Two Boxes: What Amazon Actually Asks
When you upload a manuscript to KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing), you reach a section titled "Content Rights and Pricing." Amazon asks one question:
"Was any of the content in your book (text, images, or translation) created using AI tools?"
You select Yes or No. If you select Yes, Amazon asks you to specify which elements contain AI content:
| Declaration option | When to check it |
|---|---|
| Text | AI generated the text of the book (or substantial portions) |
| Images | AI generated cover art, interior illustrations, or other images |
| Translation | AI translated the content into the language being published |
You may check more than one. You may check all three.
AI-Generated vs AI-Assisted: Amazon's Definitions
Amazon KDP distinguishes between two scenarios:
AI-Generated (check "Yes")
Content created by AI tools with minimal human creative input.
Examples that require disclosure:
- Text written by ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or another LLM — even if you edited it afterward
- A book cover image generated by Midjourney, DALL-E, Stable Diffusion, or similar tools
- A manuscript translated by DeepL or Google Translate with no substantive human review
- AI-generated chapter outlines that were then fleshed out primarily by AI
The test: If you deleted your contribution from the creative process, would the content still exist in substantially the same form? If yes, it is AI-generated.
AI-Assisted (check "No" — no mandatory disclosure)
Content created by a human where AI tools helped with parts of the process.
Examples that do not require mandatory KDP disclosure:
- A human-written manuscript checked by Grammarly or ProWritingAid
- A human-written book where you asked ChatGPT to suggest a stronger opening line (which you then rewrote in your own words)
- Research conducted with AI tools, where a human wrote the content based on that research
- A book cover designed by a human in Canva, even if Canva's AI suggested layout options
The test: Was a human the primary creative author? If the AI's role was to assist your creative process rather than generate the content, it is AI-assisted.
The Hard Cases: Hybrid Content
Most real-world situations fall somewhere between "fully human" and "fully AI." Here is how to decide:
| Scenario | Declare as AI-generated? |
|---|---|
| AI wrote first draft, you rewrote it substantially | No — you are the primary author |
| AI wrote first draft, you edited lightly | Yes — AI was the primary author |
| You wrote outline, AI wrote each section | Yes — AI generated the text |
| You wrote draft, AI rewrote each paragraph for clarity | Yes — AI substantially modified the text |
| AI suggested plot points you developed yourself | No — AI was an idea tool, not the author |
| AI translated your book, you reviewed for errors | Yes — AI generated the translation |
| You used AI to generate interior illustrations | Yes — declare images |
| Human cover designer used AI for one element | Judgment call — Amazon recommends disclosure |
When in doubt, disclose. The risk of non-disclosure (account suspension, book removal) is higher than the risk of over-disclosing.
Where to Find the Checkbox: Step-by-Step
- Log in to your KDP account at kdp.amazon.com
- Click "Create" (new title) or "Edit" (existing title)
- Complete the Kindle eBook Details page (title, author, description, keywords, categories)
- On the Kindle eBook Content page, upload your manuscript
- On the Kindle eBook Pricing page, scroll to "Content Rights and Pricing"
- Answer the AI content question — Yes or No
- If Yes: check which elements apply (text / images / translation)
The disclosure is stored with your title. You can update it by returning to the title's page in your KDP dashboard and editing the content details.
What KDP Does With Your Disclosure
Amazon does not use your disclosure to ban or limit distribution of your title. Books declared as AI-generated are listed and sold normally on Amazon and through KDP Select and Kindle Unlimited.
What Amazon uses the disclosure for:
- Catalog integrity — Amazon is building a record of AI content in its catalog
- Future policy — Disclosure data informs how Amazon may treat AI content going forward
- Buyer transparency — Amazon has indicated it may surface AI disclosure information to readers in the future
Non-disclosure is the risk. Amazon uses both automated tools and manual review to identify AI-generated content. Publishers who did not disclose and are later detected face retroactive enforcement including title removal.
Checklist Before You Upload
- Identify which content in your book was generated by AI vs created by you
- Decide whether each element crosses the AI-generated threshold (AI was primary author) or AI-assisted threshold (you were primary author)
- If any element is AI-generated: select Yes in the KDP upload form and check the relevant boxes (text / images / translation)
- Keep a record of which AI tools you used and what they generated — this protects you if Amazon queries your disclosure later
- If you update your book and add AI-generated content: return to KDP and update the disclosure
Official Source
Amazon's AI content policy is documented in the KDP Content Guidelines. Amazon updates this page without notice — check it directly for the most current version. The definition of AI-generated vs AI-assisted used in this article reflects Amazon's policy as published in 2026.
For the complete KDP AI disclosure compliance guide including Amazon's exact checkbox wording across different title types, see Amazon KDP AI Disclosure Compliance Guide 2026.
