The Genesis of Google’s AI Journalist: A New Era or a Threat to Journalism?
Google, the tech giant that has its fingers in every pie, from search engines to self-driving cars. Now, it’s dipping its toes into the world of journalism with a new product, known as Genesis. This AI tool is designed to take in information and spit out news stories. Sounds like a journalist’s dream, right? Well, not so fast.
Genesis is being pitched as a personal assistant for journalists, automating some tasks to free up time for others. Google sees it as a responsible technology that could help steer the publishing industry away from the pitfalls of generative AI. But let’s be real here, folks. This is Google we’re talking about. The same Google that has been criticized for using decades of articles and posts from publishers to train these AI systems, without compensating the publishers.
AI Chatbots: The New Kids on the Block
In the world of AI, chatbots are the new kids on the block. From OpenAI’s ChatGPT to Google’s Bard, these bots are designed to do everything from answering complex questions to writing poetry. But let’s not get carried away here. These tools are not intended to replace journalists. They can provide options for headlines and other writing styles, but they can’t replicate the essential role journalists play in reporting, creating, and fact-checking their articles.
The Double-Edged Sword of AI in Journalism
On one hand, if this technology can deliver factual information reliably, journalists should use the tool. On the other hand, AI tools like Genesis could cause anxiety among journalists who have been writing their own articles for decades. The use of AI could potentially spread misinformation and affect how traditionally written stories are perceived.
The Bottom Line
While Google is moving at a breakneck pace to develop and deploy generative AI, it’s important to remember that this technology comes with its own set of challenges. Governments around the world have called on Google to give news outlets a larger slice of its advertising revenue. With the introduction of AI tools like Genesis, it’s more important than ever for Google to forge partnerships with news organizations and compensate them for their content.
Source: nytimes.com
