Hello, tech lovers! Today, we’re diving into the new AI-powered feature in Libby’s library app, and it’s stirring up some buzz.

Libby, known for its digital e-book and audiobook collection, has introduced an AI tool called “Inspire Me.” This feature suggests books based on prompts or your saved titles, aiming to make discovering new reads easier and more personalized. To access it, users just tap on “Inspire Me” on the app’s home page, choosing genres, themes, or scenarios to get tailored recommendations.

The suggestions show up as a list of five titles, prioritizing books available in the library’s collection. Overdrive, the company behind Libby, emphasizes that this AI tool is designed to complement, not replace, human knowledge—helping users find books more intuitively by tapping into the library’s existing digital catalog.

However, not everyone is thrilled. Some readers, librarians, and critics are voicing concerns on social media, saying they’d prefer traditional recommendations without AI interference. Privacy worries also surface, with critics questioning what personal data might be collected and how it’s used. Overdrive reassures that it minimizes data collection and keeps user activity confidential, explaining that any info shared with the AI is limited to book titles, with no personal details involved.

Jen Leitman, OverDrive’s chief marketing officer, states that the aim is to make discovery smarter and more efficient, not to replace human insight. The company launched the feature in beta earlier this month, and it’s set to roll out to all users in September. Despite some pushback, OverDrive believes that the “Inspire Me” tool can enhance user experience by helping patrons explore their local library’s vast collections in a new, tech-savvy way.