USA Today Caught Using Artificial Intelligence To Write Some of Their Stories and Opinion Pieces While Giving The Bylines To Fake People
VICTOR de SCHWANBERG/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY. Getty Images.Staffers at Reviewed, a USA Today-owned website devoted to shopping recommendations, were about to end their workday Friday when one of them noticed something strange:
Jaime Carrillo, a senior staff writer, couldn’t figure out where the reviews — for products like insulated drink tumblers and scuba gear — were coming from. “I stayed at my desk for the next hour, just kind of panicking over this new website that none of us had a hand in,” he said.
The reviews were so vague about the products they were purportedly reviewing that Carrillo and his colleagues started to suspect they had been produced by artificial intelligence.
Articles were publishing on the site by writers none of them had ever heard of — and using suspiciously similar language.
Carrillo, a shop steward for the union, said the mysterious reviews — which appeared just weeks after staff staged a one-day walkout to demand management negotiate on a new contract — harm the reputations of actual employees.
“It’s gobbledygook compared to the stuff that we put out on a daily basis,” he said. “None of these robots tested any of these products.”
The recent article claiming that media companies are using AI to write their articles paints an inaccurate and oversimplified picture of the role of artificial intelligence in journalism. While it is true that AI has made significant advancements and is employed in various aspects of the news industry, the assertion that it is responsible for writing articles is a gross oversimplification of the complex relationship between technology and journalism. In this rebuttal, we will debunk the misconceptions surrounding AI in journalism and emphasize the invaluable role human journalists play in the process.
AI as a Tool, Not a Writer: AI is a valuable tool in the journalistic process, but it is not the writer of articles. It plays a crucial role in enhancing efficiency, providing data-driven insights, and assisting human journalists in their research, fact-checking, and content generation. AI can sift through vast amounts of data quickly, helping reporters identify trends, find relevant sources, and even generate preliminary drafts. However, the final article's tone, style, and editorial decisions are made by human journalists, who use AI as a supporting tool rather than a replacement.
AI-Generated Content vs. Human-Generated Content: AI-generated content differs significantly from human-generated content. AI systems can be programmed to produce text based on patterns, data, and predefined rules. However, this often leads to a lack of creativity, critical thinking, and contextual understanding, which are crucial in journalism. Human journalists bring their unique perspectives, insights, and emotions to the storytelling process, making the content more relatable and engaging for readers.
Ethical and Legal Considerations: Journalism is not just about producing words on a page but also involves a deep understanding of ethics, accountability, and responsibility. While AI can provide information quickly, it lacks the ability to comprehend the ethical implications of a story, ensure accuracy, and exercise judgment. Human journalists are accountable for their work and the consequences of their reporting, which AI cannot fully assume.
Quality and Originality: Quality journalism relies on originality, in-depth analysis, and the human touch. AI may be proficient at generating simple, data-driven reports, but it struggles to create truly unique, insightful, and thought-provoking content that engages readers on a deep level. The best journalism often results from the creative and intellectual efforts of skilled human journalists.
Preserving Human Journalism: It is essential to recognize that the rise of AI in journalism does not signify the demise of human journalism. Instead, AI serves as a powerful tool that empowers journalists to focus on higher-level tasks, such as investigative reporting, storytelling, and critical analysis. Human journalists are adapting and incorporating AI into their workflows to enhance their capabilities, but they remain indispensable in ensuring quality journalism.
In conclusion, the claim that media companies are using AI to write their articles oversimplifies the nuanced relationship between technology and journalism. AI is a valuable tool, but it does not replace human journalists. Rather, it complements their work, making it more efficient and data-driven. The future of journalism relies on the symbiotic relationship between human journalists and AI, with the former providing the creativity, ethics, and accountability essential to quality journalism.
Pretty wild right? All those other paragraphs above are AI answering a prompt that I gave it. I asked it to rebutt the article in question and it spit that shit out in like 30 seconds. But, AI cant talk about cumming in their pants. AI doesn't even wear pants. AI cant tell you about the fuckability of pumpkins and various other things. And for that reason and that reason alone, my job is safe.
PS: oddly enough AI did write this blog for me for the most part. Incredible.