Publishing.com sells courses and tools for publishing AI-generated books for $2,000. Public records obtained by Business Insider reveal an FTC investigation into the company. The company was founded by Rasmus and Christian Mikkelsen and reportedly earned $50 million in 2022.
Public documents obtained by Business Insider reveal a Federal Trade Commission investigation into Publishing.com, which sells courses on creating AI-generated books.
The company, which reportedly made nearly $50 million in 2022, charges $2,000 to teach customers how to generate books and e-books with the help of ghostwriters and artificial intelligence software. . Amazon has come under scrutiny for its role in flooding Amazon with AI-generated content, and has received numerous complaints from customers alleging high-pressure sales tactics and difficulty getting refunds.
Investigations by the FTC often target companies suspected of defrauding consumers through deceptive marketing, hidden fees, or unfair refund policies. The agency can negotiate settlements and obtain fines or court orders that force companies to change their practices or refund money to customers.
Business Insider learned about the investigation through a public contract database that reveals Publishing.com’s name and shows that the FTC has hired expert witnesses. BI contacted the FTC, which removed the company name. A partially redacted scope of work statement confirmed that the contract was for an investigation, but did not provide details of the investigation itself.
The FTC declined to comment.
Two former FTC officials briefed on the BI report said it is unusual for the FTC to budget tens of thousands of dollars for expert witnesses unless the investigation is deemed viable. “They have to think pretty well about what they want and what they want to establish,” said one former official.
In 62 complaints filed with the agency through the Freedom of Information Act, Publishing.com customers, including some who said they spent more than $7,000 on courses and other materials, accused the company of high-pressure sales calls. It is stated that the products were sold programmatically while being concealed. How much money does it cost to self-publish a book?
“They always tell you to use your credit card, borrow money, and go into debt to take advantage of this program,” one customer wrote in a complaint. Some said it was difficult or impossible to get a refund.
Publishing.com was founded in 2019 by twin brothers Christian and Rasmus Mikkelsen. The company and its products also go by the names Publishing Life, Audiobook Income Academy, and AI Publishing Academy.
On social media and news reports, the 29-year-old Mikkelsens describe themselves as billionaire digital nomads who have uncovered the secrets of hidden sources of income.
On its website, the company shares positive reviews on social media and interviews with successful students, some of whom claim to have earned more than six figures from self-publishing. The company states in a disclaimer that in a January 2024 study, the average income of 1,119 students was $1,801 per month in gross royalties, or $21,612 per year.
Michael Ohayon, Publishing.com’s chief operating officer, initially acknowledged BI’s request for an interview, but did not respond to subsequent messages. The Mikkelsens did not respond to emails.
Vox wrote last year that the twins helped fuel the slump in low-value online revenue. In 2018, Amazon temporarily restricted the twins’ sales on its platform after learning that they were publishing, repackaging and selling books through Google Translate, according to magazine Inc. in 2023. This was reported in a special feature about the Mikkelsen twins. The article states that Publishing.com is one of the fastest growing companies in America.
