Google’s AI newswriter is being tested

According to The New York Times, Google is testing an AI-powered newswriting tool and pitching it to publications. The tech giant pitched the AI tool to The New York Times, The Washington Post, and News Corp.

“Genesis,” the tool, can process data and write news. Google claims the tool can automate some tasks to free up time for journalists. Tech giant calls the tool “responsible technology.”

The New York Times reports that some executives who were pitched the tool found it “unsettling” because it seemed to disregard the effort put into accurate news stories.

“In partnership with news publishers, especially smaller publishers, we’re in the earliest stages of exploring ideas to potentially provide AI-enabled tools to help journalists with their work,” a Google spokesperson told TechCrunch.

“AI-enabled tools could help journalists with headlines or writing styles,” the spokesperson said. “Just like we offer assistive tools in Gmail and Google Docs, we want to give journalists the option to use these emerging technologies to improve their work and productivity. These tools do not replace journalists’ reporting, writing, and fact-checking.

NPR and Insider have informed employees that they will investigate how AI can be used responsibly in their newsrooms.

The Associated Press has used AI to generate corporate earnings stories for years, but most of its articles are written by journalists.

AI-generated articles that aren’t fact-checked or edited could spread misinformation, making Google’s new tool unsettling.

This year, CNET quietly started using generative AI to write articles, which backfired. CNET corrected over half of AI-generated articles. Some articles were plagiarized, while others had factual errors. “An earlier version of this article was assisted by an AI engine,” reads an editor’s note on some of the website’s articles. Staff writers significantly revised this version.”