- Google PR released a statement regarding the NYT story.
Google is testing Genesis (working title), an AI tool designed to assist journalists in newsrooms by generating news content. The tech giant has pitched its product to The New York Times, The Washington Post, and News Corp, the NYT reports.
It acts as a personal assistant for journalists, automating certain tasks and providing headline suggestions or different writing styles. Google has stated that the technology is not intended to replace the essential role of journalists and their responsibilities for fact-checking and reporting.
Though some executives have praised the tool's potential, others have expressed concern about relying on AI for accurate news reporting and its impact on traditional journalism. With AI currently being explored in various news organizations, the debate around its responsible use and potential drawbacks continues.
In response to the NYT story, Google PR has this to say:
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, just like we're making assistive tools available for people in Gmail and in Google Docs.
Quite simply these tools are not intended to, and cannot, replace the essential role journalists have in reporting, creating, and fact-checking their articles.
Google Communications
