Google is testing an AI tool named “Genesis” that was designed to help generate news articles. In some strange Googly world, the idea is to relieve reporters from routine tasks, granting more time for other aspects of their work. Uh huh.
Genesis, which is being showcased to major news organizations (including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and News Corp) is seen by Google as a solution to balance the advantages of AI with the potential risks in publishing. Google’s Jenn Crider stresses that “these tools are not intended to, and cannot, replace the essential role journalists have in reporting, creating and fact-checking their articles.” Instead, Google says that Genesis could aid with headline generation and diverse writing styles.
AI is no stranger to journalism. News organizations (such as Bloomberg and The Associated Press) have used AI for corporate earnings reports and sports scores for years. However, not everyone sees benefits of automatic journalism – especially journalists.
AI can save you a lot of time. It can make you an editor (as opposed to an originator). It can help research (when properly constrained). But… can it write a well-researched, compelling article? Time – and rigorous testing – will tell.
Author’s note: This is not a sponsored post. I am the author of this article and it expresses my own opinions. I am not, nor is my company, receiving compensation for it.