Google Is Reportedly Testing an AI Tool That Can Write This Article

Google is working on a new artificial intelligence tool, known internally by the codename Genesis, that can generate news content, according(Opens in a new window) to The New York Times.

Google would say only that it’s testing “AI-enabled tools” for journalism. “We’re in the earliest stages of exploring ideas to potentially provide AI-enabled tools to help their journalists with their work,” a Google spokesperson tells PCMag.

Google staffers reportedly pitched Genesis to The New York Times, The Washington Post, and News Corp, owner of The Wall Street Journal. The tool is rumored to be able to write articles by pulling in key details of current events, though it remains to be seen what length and depth it can achieve. Google declined to comment on PCMag’s question about where Genesis would get the information to put in the article.

“For instance, AI-enabled tools could assist journalists with options for headlines or different writing styles,” Google says. “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.”

As with all-things AI, misinformation is a core concern here, which Google has acknowledged(Opens in a new window) in the past. However, it says AI tools for journalism are “not intended to, and cannot, replace the essential role journalists have in reporting, creating, and fact-checking their articles.”

Others in the tech industry share these concerns, including Bill Gates, who wrote about it in a recent blog post(Opens in a new window) regarding the risk of AI content influencing elections. “The idea that technology can be used to spread lies and untruths is not new. People have been doing it with books and leaflets for centuries. AI takes this problem of fake text and extends it.”

Google’s push for AI-generated journalism also stands to further its massive influence on the way people find and consume content. In the past few decades, Google searches have grown into one of the largest traffic drivers for digital publications, including PCMag. Tools like Genesis would extend the company’s influence beyond helping readers find articles to also writing the articles. This could open the door to Google’s search algorithms prioritizing articles generated by its AI tools, though Google declined to comment when asked if it plans to do so.