/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/20790706/acastro_200730_1777_ai_0001.jpg "G/O Media’s AI-Generated Content Fails to Satisfy Gizmodo’s Staff")
G/O Media, the owner of the popular tech site Gizmodo and several other outlets, recently commenced the publication of AI-generated articles, despite facing strong objections from its staff members, as reported by The Washington Post. These articles are credited to various bots, such as “Gizmodo Bot,” without any indication that they were created using an AI chatbot. Unsurprisingly, the quality of these stories was in need of significant improvement.
The initial response from Gizmodo’s staff to the first AI-generated story, a non-chronological list of Star Wars movies, was far from enthusiastic. Journalists reportedly expressed their concerns on Slack, stating that it was damaging their reputation and credibility.
In a late June email, G/O Media CEO Brown mentioned the importance of using AI in their coverage due to the company’s collection of technology outlets. He acknowledged that errors may occur but assured that they would be promptly corrected. In a recent company Slack conversation viewed by The Washington Post, Brown expressed his eagerness to gather and act on feedback, emphasizing that they would strive to discover the best ways to utilize this technology.
However, many staff journalists were disheartened by the situation. Some criticized AI as a “solution looking for a problem” and accused Brown of wasting everyone’s time. Others pointed out that editing or reviewing AI-produced content was not included in their job descriptions.
Gizmodo Deputy Editor James Whitbrook, in an interview with The Washington Post, expressed his disappointment, stating that he had never witnessed such a display of incompetence among his colleagues. He noted that the chatbot’s inability to accurately arrange Star Wars movies cast doubts on its reliability in reporting. Whitbrook confirmed that he had neither requested nor seen the article before its publication.
According to The Washington Post, the articles were written using both Google’s Bard and OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
G/O Media is just one of many media companies that have recently experimented with AI-generated content. CNET has revamped its approach to AI after facing severe criticism, while Insider initiated its own experiment with ChatGPT in April.
GMG Union, representing Gizmodo’s writers and part of the Writers Guild of America, East, asked readers not to click on any AI-written articles, deeming them “unethical and unacceptable.”
We have reached out to G/O Media for comment.
Disclosure: Vox Media’s editorial team, including The Verge, is also unionized with the Writers Guild of America, East.
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Alex Smith is a writer and editor with over 10 years of experience. He has written extensively on a variety of topics, including technology, business, and personal finance. His work has been published in a number of magazines and newspapers, and he is also the author of two books. Alex is passionate about helping people learn and grow, and he believes that writing is a powerful tool for communication and understanding.
