FTC Probes Publishing.com Over AI Book Self-Publishing Scheme

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is investigating Publishing.com, a company that sells courses promising to teach people how to make money by self-publishing AI-generated books on Amazon, Business Insider reports.

Publishing.com—previously known as Publishing Life, Audiobook Income Academy, and AI Publishing Academy—charges $1,995 for its self-publishing program, but some customers allege they’ve spent much more without seeing results. Complaints include misleading claims about earnings potential, non-refundable fees, and low-quality book production that floods Amazon’s marketplace.

According to Business Insider, the FTC’s investigation became public after the agency hired an expert witness to review the company’s practices. However, the FTC has not yet issued an official statement on the case.

Publishing.com is owned by Christian and Rasmus Mikkelsen, twin brothers who have faced scrutiny before. In 2018, Amazon shut down their publishing accounts after they were caught selling books that had been poorly translated using Google Translate. Despite the controversy, their business reportedly made $50 million in revenue in 2022, according to Inc.com.

With growing concerns over AI-generated content and deceptive online business models, the FTC’s investigation could signal a crackdown on misleading self-publishing schemes.