AI’s inability to accurately list the chronological order of Star Wars movies has highlighted the importance of human editors in the newsroom. Gizmodo, a tech news site, recently experienced this firsthand when an article generated by an AI bot was published with numerous errors. The article listed all the Star Wars films and TV shows in the wrong order, omitted key titles, and included formatting and repetitive description errors.
Deputy Editor James Whitbrook expressed his frustration with the AI’s incompetence, stating that if a chatbot can’t even correctly order Star Wars movies, readers cannot trust it to provide accurate information. This incident occurred as Gizmodo was piloting new AI initiatives, publishing five articles using Google’s Bard and OpenAI’s ChatGPT technologies.
Although Gizmodo did not comment on the editorial review process for these articles, a representative mentioned that they were part of an early test and acknowledged that errors would occur. The publication’s employees expressed their dissatisfaction with the AI-generated articles through negative reactions, emoji expressions, and an open letter sent by the GMG Union, which urged the leadership to reconsider their stance on AI-generated content. The Gizmodo Union, representing authors from The Onion, Jezebel, and The Root, publicly asked readers not to click on AI-written articles, deeming them unethical and unacceptable.
Readers also voiced their displeasure with the AI-generated content, criticizing Gizmodo for deviating from what attracted readers to the site in the first place. These readers expressed concerns about the loss of quality and value due to a focus on profit rather than integrity.
The use of AI-generated content has become a contentious issue in newsrooms as job security for reporters remains uncertain in the face of massive layoffs across the media industry. Despite these challenges, many outlets, including Insider, have initiated AI experimentation while implementing editorial procedures to minimize errors.
In conclusion, the Gizmodo incident serves as a reminder of the crucial role human editors play in ensuring the accuracy and reliability of news content. While AI technology can enhance efficiency and productivity, it still requires oversight to provide trustworthy information to readers.
