E-book app faces backlash, apologizes over undisclosed AI translations

An e-book subscription app that promoted lifetime access to hundreds of classic literary works for a one-time fee has come under fire after admitting it used AI to translate some of its titles without informing customers in advance.

The app, called Chaek Doduk — Korean for "Book Thief" — launched late last year and offers Korean and foreign literary classics whose copyrights have expired, according to the publishing industry.

Users can purchase lifetime access to about 730 e-books, including “The Iliad” and “Gulliver's Travels,” for a one-time fee of 19,800 won ($13.6). About 1,000 people have subscribed to the service, and the operator has announced that the price will increase to 49,000 won beginning this Saturday.

Questions about whether the app relied on AI-generated translations emerged after users noted the rapid pace at which new titles were being added and raised concerns about the quality of some translations.

After receiving repeated inquiries, the operator acknowledged in a social media post on Saturday that AI had been used to produce translations.

The company said the AI-generated drafts were reviewed and revised by students from prestigious universities to improve their quality.

Users criticized the company for failing to disclose its use of AI before purchase, saying the information did not appear on the payment page or in the service's terms and conditions. Some said they would not have subscribed had they known the translations were AI-generated.

As criticism mounted, the operator issued an apology and said customers who purchased subscriptions before Monday would be eligible for full refunds upon request.

The company also said it would clearly disclose whether AI was used in producing its content and explain its translation process for all future services.

BY JEONG JAE-HONG [shin.woojin@joongang.co.kr]