G/O Media, a major online media company that runs publications including Gizmodo, Kotaku, Quartz, Jezebel, and Deadspin, has announced that it will begin a “modest test” of AI content on its sites.
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The trial will include “producing just a handful of stories for most of our sites that are basically built around lists and data,” Brown wrote. “These features aren’t replacing work currently being done by writers and editors, and we hope that over time if we get these forms of content right and produced at scale, AI will, via search and promotion, help us grow our audience.”
That’s basically what I’m saying here. The bar is so low there, that people won’t notice the switch. Then the higher ups take that as a “well people must like what we’re doing, so let’s go completely AI” and others will see that it’s cheaper and “obviously working for Gawker, so we’ll do it too!” And the slope continues toward places that actually have some decent journalism.
I just worry it’s the perfect entry point that no one will notice and send us all on a downward spiral.