Home » US business news » Google tests AI tool that can write news stories

Google tests AI tool that can write news stories

By Nithya Bose in US business news, posted July 20, 2023

Google is reportedly testing an AI-powered product, internally known as Genesis, to generate news articles by taking in information about current events.

The tech giant has approached news organizations, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and News Corp (owner of The Wall Street Journal), with the tool.

Genesis aims to serve as a personal assistant for journalists, automating certain tasks to free up time for other reporting aspects.

Google envisions this AI tool as a responsible technology that can help the publishing industry avoid potential pitfalls associated with generative AI.

However, some executives who saw Google's pitch found it unsettling, expressing concerns about the tool potentially underestimating the effort required to produce accurate and artful news stories.

Jenn Crider, a Google spokeswoman, said: “In partnership with news publishers, especially smaller publishers, we’re in the earliest stages of exploring ideas to potentially provide A.I.-enabled tools to help their journalists with their work.

“Quite simply, these tools are not intended to, and cannot, replace the essential role journalists have in reporting, creating and fact-checking their articles.”

Instead, they provide choices for headlines and other writing styles.

A News Corp spokesman said: “We have an excellent relationship with Google, and we appreciate Sundar Pichai’s long-term commitment to journalism.”

Jeff Jarvis, a journalism professor, and media commentator, highlighted the potential upsides and downsides of the tool.

He said: “If this technology can deliver factual information reliably, journalists should use the tool.

“If, on the other hand, it is misused by journalists and news organizations on topics that require nuance and cultural understanding, then it could damage the credibility not only of the tool, but of the news organizations that use it.”

Need Career Advice? Get employment skills advice at all levels of your career

News organizations worldwide are grappling with the responsible use of AI in their newsrooms.

News outlets, like The Times, NPR, and Insider have informed employees about plans to explore potential applications of AI on news, where time and accuracy are crucial.

Google and other AI companies were slammed by publishers and content creators for using decades of their articles and posts to train AI systems without any compensation.

News organizations like NBC News and The Times have taken a stand against AI companies using their data without permission.

Follow us on YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.