The world of journalism is witnessing a quiet but significant transformation. Quartz, a renowned international business news outlet, has been discreetly publishing AI-generated news articles under the byline "Quartz Intelligence Newsroom". This revelation has raised questions about the future of journalism and the role of artificial intelligence in news production.
The AI-powered newsroom at Quartz began its journey with simple earnings reports a few months ago. However, it has since expanded its repertoire to include short articles on various topics. These AI-generated pieces, typically around 400 words long, cover a wide range of subjects from business updates to international affairs.
One striking aspect of this AI journalism experiment is the absence of direct quotes from sources within the articles. Instead, the AI writer opts for a different approach to attribution, listing its sources at the beginning of each piece rather than throughout the text. This departure from traditional journalistic practices has sparked debate among media professionals about the importance of source attribution and transparency in reporting.
G/O Media, Quartz's parent company, has confirmed the existence of this "purely experimental" AI newsroom. However, they have remained tight-lipped about the specific AI models or tools used in the content generation process. The company states that the primary goal of this initiative is to free up Quartz's human editorial staff, allowing them to focus on more in-depth, long-form reporting.
While the introduction of AI-generated content in mainstream media outlets marks a significant milestone in the evolution of journalism, it also raises concerns about accuracy and reliability. Quartz has taken a cautious approach by including a disclaimer at the end of each AI-generated article, acknowledging the experimental nature of the technology and the potential for errors.
Critics of this new approach point out that the AI system seems to struggle with accurately untangling complex webs of information aggregation. In some cases, the AI has cited news aggregators like MSN or Yahoo as primary sources, overlooking the original reporting done by outlets such as the Washington Post or the Wall Street Journal.
Perhaps more concerning is the AI's apparent inability to distinguish between reliable sources and other AI-generated content. In at least one instance, Quartz's AI cited a website called "Devdiscourse," which itself appears to be an automated news site producing AI-generated summaries. This raises questions about the potential for AI systems to create echo chambers of misinformation if left unchecked.
