Google has been showcasing a special AI chatbot they have developed for journalists to major newspapers in the US. Apart from journalists losing their jobs, media outlets also risk hurting their reputation because of AI hallucinations and inaccurate, made-up stories
Google has secretly unveiled an AI tool known as Genesis, capable of producing news stories for major newspapers like The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal.
According to reports from The New York Times, this signals a potential influx of AI-generated or AI-assisted content on the internet.
Although Google denies intending to replace journalists, they assert that Genesis will act as a “personal assistant” for journalists, automating certain tasks to allow more time for others.
Google downplaying its AI’s capability to get Journalists on board
Media executives who have seen a demo of the AI chatbot revealed that the tool can not only write and edit stories but give them headlines, straplines and summaries, all without the input of a trained media professional.
Media executives expressed concerns about Google’s pitch, feeling it downplayed the effort and skill required to create accurate and well-crafted news stories.
Publications, such as CNET, Gizmodo, and BuzzFeed, have already embraced AI-generated news stories, but they often suffered from errors and plagiarism issues.
The entrance of an influential company like Google into this space could accelerate the adoption of AI technology by media outlets, increasing pressure on traditional journalists.
“Goodness gracious,” tweeted The Information founder Jessica Lessin. “Let it be said, journalists don’t need Google to write their articles as ‘a personal assistant.’ And anything that Google (or any AI) could write has no real original reporting value.”
Google is killing the news
Google maintains that its tools are not meant to replace journalists entirely, but rather offer assistance with tasks like generating headlines or different writing styles.
“Quite simply, these tools are not intended to, and cannot, replace the essential role journalists have in reporting, creating and fact-checking their articles,” Google spokesperson Jenn Crider told the NYT. “For instance, AI-enabled tools could assist journalists with options for headlines or different writing styles,” she added.
Recently, Google unveiled a new AI-powered search interface called “Search Generative Experience” (SGE) that can summarize webpages through “AI snapshots,” potentially undermining human-based journalism further.
Hallucinations mean reputations are on the line
However, there are reasons to be sceptical about Google’s AI technology, as past instances like the AI chatbot Bard have shown its unreliability in distinguishing truth from fiction and generating misinformation at scale.
The media industry is exploring ways to incorporate generative AI into newsrooms, but concerns remain about potential job cuts and the ability of AI to produce coherent and more importantly fact-based truthful information.
Ultimately, the reputation of news publications is at stake, prompting media executives to carefully consider the implications before fully embracing Google’s AI offer.
