Google is reportedly developing a new artificial intelligence tool called Genesis, which can generate news articles based on current events. The tool is said to be able to ingest information from various sources and produce coherent and factual content. Google has already demonstrated the tool to executives from some of the leading news organizations, such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, and News Corp.
Google Genesis is a generative AI tool, which means it can create new content from existing data. It uses natural language processing and machine learning techniques to analyze and synthesize information from different sources, such as websites, social media, and databases. It can then generate news articles that are relevant, accurate, and engaging. I have previously written about how generative AI will lead to a content exodus, and Genesis could be another step towards that.
Genesis is designed to act as a personal assistant for journalists, helping them with tasks such as writing headlines, finding sources, and exploring different writing styles. Google claims that the tool is not intended to replace journalists, but rather to support them in their work. A Google spokesperson told the New York Times it is working with publishers to develop the AI:
“In partnership with news publishers, especially smaller publishers, we're in the earliest stages of exploring ideas to potentially provide AI-enabled tools to help journalists with their work. For instance, AI-enabled tools could assist journalists with options for headlines or different writing styles. Our goal is to give journalists the choice of using these emerging technologies in a way that enhances their work and productivity.”
Potential benefits of Google Genesis
- Improving efficiency and productivity: Genesis could help journalists save time and resources by automating some of the tedious and repetitive aspects of news writing. It could also help journalists cover more topics and stories in a timely manner.
- Enhancing creativity and diversity: Genesis could help journalists experiment with different perspectives and approaches to news writing. It could also help journalists discover new angles and insights that they might have missed otherwise.
- Increasing accessibility and reach: Genesis could help journalists reach wider and more diverse audiences by generating news articles in different languages and formats. It could also help journalists cater to different preferences and interests of their readers.
Potential problems with Google Genesis
- Ensuring quality and credibility: Genesis could potentially produce news articles that are inaccurate or misleading, either due to errors in the data sources or biases in the algorithms. It could also generate content that is plagiarized or duplicated from other sources.
- Preserving ethics and integrity: Genesis could potentially undermine the values and principles of journalism, such as objectivity, fairness, and transparency. It could also create ethical dilemmas for journalists, such as whether to disclose the use of the tool or how to attribute the sources.
- Protecting jobs and skills: Genesis could potentially displace or replace human journalists, especially those who perform routine or low-level tasks. It could also stifle creativity and lead to a lack of character in written work.
