VOA科学技术2023--Experts Worry About News Stories Written with Artificial Intelligence

Experts Worry About News Stories Written with Artificial Intelligence

Google is developing an artificial intelligence tool that produces news articles. And the development is troubling some experts.

They say such tools risk spreading propaganda or threatening the safety of people who provide reporters with information, or sources.

The New York Times reported last week that Google is testing a new product named Genesis. It uses artificial intelligence (AI) to produce news stories, or articles.

The New York Times said Genesis gathers information, like details about current events, to create news stories. Google already has pitched the product to the Times and other organizations, including The Washington Post and News Corp., which owns The Wall Street Journal newspaper.

The launch of AI chatbot ChatGPT last fall created a debate about how AI ought to be used in the news industry.

AI tools can help reporters research by quickly examining data from large computer files. AI can also help reporters confirm or disprove information from sources. But there is fear that AI tools could spread propaganda and cause journalists to lose the skill of reporting.

John Scott-Railton studies disinformation at the Citizen Lab, part of the University of Toronto. He told VOA that a lot of information gathered by AI comes from places on the internet "where disinformation and propaganda get targeted."

Paul M. Barrett is with New York University's Stern Center for Business and Human Rights. He agrees that AI could increase the spread of false information.

"It's going to be easier to generate myths and disinformation," he told VOA. "The supply of misleading content is, I think, going to go up."

In an emailed statement to VOA, a Google spokesperson said its tool is designed to help reporters, or journalists, in their work, not replace them. AI cannot replace the "role journalists have in reporting, creating and fact-checking their articles," the spokesperson said.

AI tools in journalism¹ could also hurt trust in news organizations. Public opinion researchers Gallup and the Knight² Foundation released a study in February about trust in the media. It said that half of Americans believe that national news organizations try to mislead or misinform the public.

"I'm puzzled that anyone thinks that the solution to this problem is to introduce a much less credible³ tool," said Scott-Railton. He earlier received support from Google's research group Google Ideas.

Reports say that AI chatbots regularly produce answers that are wrong or made up. Digital experts are also concerned about the security risks of using AI tools to produce news stories.

Reporters would have to be careful not to reveal to AI systems information like "the identity of a confidential⁴ source, or, I would say, even information that the journalist wants to make sure doesn't become public," Barrett said.

Scott-Railton said he thinks AI probably could be used in most industries. But it is important not to introduce the technology too quickly, especially in the news.

"What scares me is that the lessons learned in this case will come at the cost of well-earned reputations, will come at the cost of factual accuracy when it actually counts," he said.

Words in This Story

pitch — v. to try to sell something to someone; to talk about something or someone in a way that will make others accept it

myth — n. an idea or story believed by many people but that is not true

content — n. the information that appears in media such as books, newspapers, television, movies

puzzle — v. to be confused; to make something difficult to understand

confidential — adj. secret or private

scare — v. to make a person afraid or fearful

reputation — n. the common opinion people have about a person

accuracy –n. the quality of having no mistake or error

1 journalism   

n.新闻工作，报业

参考例句：

• He's a teacher but he does some journalism on the side.他是教师，可还兼职做一些新闻工作。
• He had an aptitude for journalism.他有从事新闻工作的才能。

2 knight   

n.骑士，武士；爵士

参考例句：

• He was made an honourary knight.他被授予荣誉爵士称号。
• A knight rode on his richly caparisoned steed.一个骑士骑在装饰华丽的马上。

3 credible   

adj.可信任的，可靠的

参考例句：

• The news report is hardly credible.这则新闻报道令人难以置信。
• Is there a credible alternative to the nuclear deterrent?是否有可以取代核威慑力量的可靠办法？

4 confidential   

adj.秘（机）密的，表示信任的，担任机密工作的

参考例句：

• He refused to allow his secretary to handle confidential letters.他不让秘书处理机密文件。
• We have a confidential exchange of views.我们推心置腹地交换意见。