Chatbot, or not?

Asking Do You Want an AI Chatbot in Your Book? BookRiot tut-tuttingly brings us the news that “Google Play Books has launched Book Insights, ‘a helpful reading companion, which is built with Gemini.’ It is currently available on ‘select English titles,’ which seem to be public domain books, based on the examples given. The features including ‘Catch Me Up,’ which offers a recap of what you’ve read so far, as well as the ability to ask questions while you read, like ‘Was this character introduced earlier in the book?'” I am currently in the middle of Bleak House, and have asked myself that last question on more than one occasion already, so for me the answer is an unequivocal “Yes”. After all, even if it’s obviously there, you don’t have to refer to the chatbot unless you choose to use it. Luckily in the absence of my robot research assistant — I’m reading hard copy — I do have a rather dilapidated Dickens Dictionary. I appear to have paid $1.50 for this reference book. As you can see…