AI mishaps in journalism examined as Google prepares newsroom tool.

Google Tests AI Tools to Aid‍ Journalists

Google is taking a step forward in supporting journalists by developing tools ⁤that can transform current events‌ into engaging articles. As a leading Big Tech company, Google ‌joins⁢ the growing trend of applying⁣ generative artificial ⁤intelligence to the field of journalism. ⁤However, previous attempts have resulted in ⁢the publication of high-profile factual errors.

Companies Struggling ⁢with ⁤AI-Powered Publishing

Several companies have faced challenges when implementing AI-powered publishing, leading⁢ to factual inaccuracies in their articles. Let’s take ‍a⁤ look at a few examples:

G/O Media

G/O Media, the publisher of popular websites like Gizmodo and Jezebel, recently released ⁤four articles entirely written by⁤ ChatGPT and Bard. Unfortunately, one of these articles, a chronological history of Star Wars, contained multiple errors and‍ was not reviewed by an editor.‌ The company’s staff expressed their⁣ frustration, ‍calling G/O Media’s reliance on AI “unethical and⁤ unacceptable.”

Despite the backlash, company leadership defended the decision, emphasizing the importance of testing AI technology.

The Arena​ Group

The Arena Group, responsible for publications like Sports Illustrated, Parade, and Men’s Journal, decided to experiment with AI-generated content to enhance their evergreen articles, particularly in the health domain. However, their first attempt resulted in an ⁢article about low testosterone that contained multiple ⁢medical errors. Editors‍ quickly made changes to⁢ the article after receiving feedback, ‍making it⁤ almost unrecognizable.

CNET

CNET, a​ renowned technology website, ventured into ‍producing AI-generated articles on various topics, including insurance policy rates.‌ Under the‍ guise of ‌one of ​their editors, they published over 70 articles using the Responsible A.I. Machine ⁢Partner. Unfortunately, a review of ‌these ⁢articles revealed that‌ more than half contained factual errors or phrases that seemed plagiarized. As a result, CNET’s publisher,⁢ Red Ventures, temporarily paused the practice‌ to review their AI publishing‍ policy.

Despite⁢ these setbacks, companies are still exploring ⁣the potential of AI in journalism. For instance, Google announced that ⁢while they won’t ⁤publish entire stories using AI, they will leverage it for organizational tasks like data sorting, creating ​outlines, and text analysis.

As AI continues to evolve, it ⁤is ​crucial for companies‌ to strike a balance between innovation and ensuring the⁣ accuracy and integrity of their content.

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