According to a report from The New York Times, Google is currently testing a new AI technology codenamed “Genesis,” which has the ability to generate news articles. The tech giant showcased the tool to The Times, as well as executives from The Washington Post and News Corp (owners of The Wall Street Journal). Genesis can create written content based on the data it is fed, whether it pertains to current events or other types of information. Google envisions that journalists could use Genesis as an assistant to automate tasks, allowing them to focus on other aspects of their work.
However, some individuals who witnessed the tool’s demonstration found it “unsettling.” Critics argued that it seemed to disregard the effort and skill required to produce accurate and reader-friendly articles. Jeff Jarvis, a journalism professor at the City University of New York, suggested that journalists should only use the tool if it can reliably deliver factual information. Yet, since Genesis is still in testing, its actual capabilities and potential risks of misinformation dissemination are yet to be determined.
