Kobo rejected 45% of self-published books in 2025, mostly over AI
▼ Summary
– Kobo rejected 45% of titles submitted to its self-publishing platform, Kobo Writing Life, in 2025.
– CEO Michael Tamblyn attributes over 80% of those rejections to books he considers manifestly low-quality.
– The article notes that a self-publishing platform’s typical role is to accept submissions, but Kobo’s service frequently declined them.
A self-publishing platform is built on a simple premise: say yes to authors. But last year, Kobo’s platform spent a surprising amount of time doing the opposite. Rakuten Kobo rejected 45% of all titles submitted to Kobo Writing Life, its self-publishing service, in 2025. Chief executive Michael Tamblyn attributes more than 80% of those rejections to books he believes are clearly generated by artificial intelligence.
Tamblyn explained that the sheer volume of AI-produced content has forced the company to tighten its quality controls. The platform now uses a combination of automated screening tools and human reviewers to flag manuscripts that lack original authorship. “We are not in the business of policing creativity,” Tamblyn said, “but we are in the business of protecting readers from low-effort, machine-generated work that adds no value.”
The crackdown reflects a broader industry trend. As AI writing tools become more accessible, self-publishing services face mounting pressure to maintain trust with readers. Kobo’s high rejection rate signals that the company is willing to sacrifice volume in favor of authenticity. For authors hoping to publish through Kobo Writing Life, the message is clear: originality matters more than ever, and the days of submitting AI-assisted manuscripts without scrutiny are over.
(Source: The Next Web)
