A Company That Made $50m Selling Side Hustle Courses On Ai Book Writing Is Under Federal Investigation

Business Insider (BI) reports that nan Federal Trade Commission has opened an investigation into Publishing.com, a institution that sells courses connected creating and trading AI-generated books arsenic a broadside hustle.

Per BI, Publishing.com raked successful astir $50 cardinal successful 2022. In 62 complaints obtained by nan outlet, customers typically spent $2,000, while immoderate spent complete $7,000 connected courses and further resources.

Customers complained to nan FTC that Publishing.com utilized high-pressure income tactics, and was not forthcoming astir really overmuch further money customers would petition to beryllium spent to publish, marketplace and adjacent sales. One title read, "They perpetually opportunity to usage successful installments cards, get money, put yourself successful indebtedness successful bid to walk this program."

Related: Amazon Has a Fake Book Problem

Founded successful 2019 by nan transcript brothers Christian and Rasmus Mikkelsen, Publishing.com has gone by different names, including Publishing Life and AI Publishing Academy.

On nan company's existent website, nan apical banner reads, "We thief group pinch zero business inheritance aliases tech acquisition create & group books that sell*." The asterisk leads to a disclaimer buried dense connected nan location page which sounds successful part, "Publishing.com makes nary guarantee of immoderate financial summation from nan usage of its products."

In betwixt nan banner and nan disclaimer, location are galore effusive customer testimonials that spot statements like, "These twins personification really laid nan measurement for anyone to group and make $. Dummy impervious and a taxable matter maestro is pinch you connected your first publishing recreation from commencement to CHA Ching!!!!"

Vox has antecedently called retired Publishing.com and its users for creating a activity of "garbage books" clogging up nan e-book marketplace, calling them, "partly AI, partially a get-rich-quick scheme, and wholly bad for confused consumers."