Earlier, there were growing concerns about AI providing incorrect information in news reporting.
By Ibukun Ogundare
Edited by Julia Sakovich
Updated
3 mins read
The integration of AI into every aspect of human life is continuously expanding, and the latest update is about Google utilizing the tool for journalists. The New York Times revealed that the technology giant is testing the new tool backed by AI, leveraging the power of a large language model. The report says that Google is designing an AI tool to help journalists write news articles. Internally known as Genesis, Google has already begun to market its latest products to news organizations. It has pitched the journalist bot to News Corp, Washington Post, and even the New York Times.
According to the report, Google presents the AI tool as a personal assistant to journalists and can generate news copy using provided details. Genesis is said to rely on current affairs while it helps its users create news articles. While some believe the technology may protect the publishing industry from the “pitfalls of generative Ai”, others are displeased with the development. Some executives stated that Google is taking news writing for granted, and some journalists say employers may see this as an opportunity to cut their staff. Indeed, news organizations may see Genesis as a replacement for their workers rather than as personal assistants.
Before Google introduced its AI tool for journalists, there were growing concerns about AI providing incorrect information in news reporting. Chatbots and AI systems have proven that these new developments could increase the spread of wrong information as they are less capable of checking facts than human journalists. Another discouragement of the Google product is that these systems have little or no regard for gatekeeping, which is a standard for journalists.
Just last month, a Georgian radio host sued OpenAI for defamation after ChatGPT provided a defamatory statement about him. Mark Walters took legal steps against the chatbot developer as it wrongfully stated that he was involved in “defrauding and embezzling funds” from the organization it said it worked for. A similar case of ChatGPT incompetency hit the news in Mawy when a lawyer used the chatbot to prepare legal filings. It happened that the OpenAI technology cited nonexistent cases.
These unpleasant scenarios and more are the cause of heightened fear that Google may not excellently deliver an AI tool for journalists. There is a major emphasis that the tool can only write news based on the information it is provided with. At the same time, a journalism AI can not experience events, interview sources, or conduct investigative journalism like human journalists do.
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Ibukun is a crypto/finance writer interested in passing relevant information, using non-complex words to reach all kinds of audience. Apart from writing, she likes to see movies, cook, and explore restaurants in the city of Lagos, where she resides.
