VentureBeat, a prominent technology news outlet, has revealed its use of Microsoft’s Bing Chat to enhance the editing and writing of articles. While the publication has no intention of using AI-generated content to create full articles, reporters are encouraged to incorporate AI-written “sentences and fragments” into their stories, provided that they are accurate and independently verifiable.
According to VentureBeat editorial director Michale Nuñez, the OpenAI-powered tool works as if there’s “another person on the team” and can summarize content in seconds instead of hours. The use of AI in this manner can speed up the editorial process, but the publication doesn’t disclose the use of AI-generated content in its articles as long as it is limited and authentic.
This is not the first instance of AI being used in journalism. CNET reportedly used AI to produce entire financial explainer articles since November 2020. Although this was characterized as a trial, more than half of the articles required at least minor corrections, with some effectively plagiarizing their sources. Additionally, it wasn’t clear that algorithms had produced the pieces.
Generative AI tools like Bing Chat, ChatGPT, and Google Bard have gained popularity as creative aids, search result generators, and even entertainment. However, there are ethical concerns, including plagiarism, basic accuracy, and cheating. Moreover, there are questions regarding trust and whether creators should disclose their use of AI, even if it’s minor and undetectable.
While AI technology can certainly aid in the editorial process, the broader news industry is not expected to replace human writers entirely. There are concerns that AI may be used to reduce the need for real people in the industry. Nonetheless, publications like VentureBeat demonstrate the potential benefits of AI technology in journalism, provided that its use is ethical and transparent.
