KDP AI policy explained: what to disclose for AI text, images and translations

Below: what KDP means by each term, what the setup form asks, how to answer for a book made with an AI tool, and what the disclosure doesn’t cover.

Do you have to disclose AI-generated content on KDP?

Yes. KDP’s content guidelines ask publishers to inform KDP of AI-generated content (text, images or translations) when they publish a new book, or edit and republish an existing one. KDP Help doesn’t say where the question sits; publishers’ walk-throughs of the setup screens show it in the Content tab of each format, so a paperback, a hardcover and a Kindle eBook are answered separately.

KDP added this rule to its content guidelines in September 2023. The KDP rule changes timeline dates it alongside the changes that followed, from title limits to royalty bands.

Watermarks don’t replace KDP’s AI question

Some AI text now carries an invisible watermark: OpenAI began rolling one out for ChatGPT text in the EU on October 5, 2026 (TechCrunch), Anthropic marks newer Claude models (TechCrunch), and Google has marked Gemini text with SynthID since 2024. The newer marks answer the EU AI Act’s Article 50, whose transparency rules apply from August 2, 2026. They are not a disclosure: KDP hasn’t said it reads them, and its form asks you directly. Answer it the same way whether or not your tool marked the text.

What is the difference between AI-generated and AI-assisted?

Who created the content: an AI tool (AI-generated, declare it) or you (AI-assisted, no need to declare it).

• AI-generated: Text, images or translations created by an AI-based tool, even if substantially edited afterwards. Includes cover and interior art. This must be disclosed.
• AI-assisted: AI used to edit, refine, error-check or improve content you created (brainstorming, grammar). No disclosure required.

The line is who created the content. If an AI wrote the chapter or drew the picture, it is AI-generated, however much you edited it afterwards. If you wrote the chapter and used AI to fix typos or suggest a better word, it is AI-assisted.

What the form asks

The question reads: “Did you use AI tools in creating texts, images, and/or translations in your book?” If you answer Yes, KDP asks about each kind of content separately. The options are along these lines (KDP may reword them):

Translations use the same scale as texts.

Answering for a kdpbook book

Books made with kdpbook are written and illustrated by AI, so the honest answer is Yes. For a book generated from a prompt and published without heavy rework, that usually means:

• Texts: Entire work, with minimal or no editing
• Images: Many AI-generated images, with minimal or no editing
• Translations: None, unless the book was translated with AI

It depends on your book: if you imported your own manuscript and only used AI for the illustrations, your text answer is None. The export sheet of every kdpbook book lists the suggested answers based on what was actually generated, and you stay free to adjust them. See our AI content policy.

What disclosure doesn’t cover

Declaring AI content doesn’t make a book acceptable on its own. You remain responsible for everything KDP’s guidelines cover:

• No trademarked characters or brands, and no content that copies someone else’s work.
• No misleading metadata, and a cover and description that match what’s inside.
• A book that gives readers a good experience. KDP can remove “disappointing” content: very short, repetitive, poorly translated or near-identical to other books.

The publishing checklist covers the rest of the review. For KDP’s other rules on AI books, read Can you publish and sell AI-generated books on Amazon KDP? The 2026 rules.