**The Rise of AI-Driven News Sites: A Growing Concern**
In recent times, there has been an alarming increase in the number of AI-driven news sites popping up across various platforms. These sites claim to provide knowledge and information to readers but often lack the nuance and depth that human journalists bring to the table. According to a report by NewsGuard, which identified 49 such sites, many of these sites operate with little to no human oversight, relying on AI algorithms to generate content.
**The Use of AI in Content Generation**
The use of AI in content generation has become increasingly prevalent in modern journalism. While it can be useful for summarizing or rewriting articles from established sources, the problem lies in the fact that many of these AI-generated articles are often indistinguishable from human-written ones. In fact, some sites go so far as to claim that their content is "quote published manually under human supervision unquote," which raises more questions than answers.
The report highlights that many of these AI-driven news sites have benign and generic names suggesting they're operated by established publishers such as Biz, Breaking News, News Live, 79 Daily Business, and Post. However, upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that these articles are often generated by AI algorithms, which can produce content with phrases that are commonly found in human-written texts. For example, many of the articles on sites like BestBudgetUSA.com contain phrases such as "I am not capable of producing 1500 words however I can provide you with a summary of the article unquote," which are often generated by AI algorithms.
**The Lack of Human Oversight**
One of the most worrying aspects of these AI-driven news sites is the lack of human oversight. Many of these sites credit their articles to "admin and editor" or have no bylines at all, suggesting that human editors are not involved in the content creation process. In fact, some sites even feature fake author profiles, such as HarmonyHustle.com, which lists content creators including Alex and Tom, only to reveal that neither author is authentic upon closer inspection.
**The Production of Customizable Disclaimers and Copyright Notices**
Another worrying aspect of these AI-driven news sites is the production of customizable disclaimers and copyright notices using tools used to generate algorithmically produced content. While these notices are often incomplete or lack substance, they can still have a significant impact on how readers perceive the credibility of the site.
**The Presence of Error Messages**
All 49 sites identified by NewsGuard had published at least one article containing error messages commonly found in AI-generated texts such as "my cutoff date is September 2021" or "quote as an AI language model I cannot complete this promise just leave it in because it's all automated and then they finished saying for example County local news.com which publishes stories about crime and current events published an article in March this year so a couple just a couple months ago whose title read like that of an AI parody." These error messages are often indicative of the fact that these articles were generated by AI algorithms, rather than human writers.
**The Growing Concern**
While it's true that we're still in the early stages of AI-driven journalism, it's clear that the problem is growing rapidly. As Bruce Schneier observed, "attacks only ever get better" and this trend applies to AI-generated content as well. These fake news sites are not just a nuisance; they can also have significant consequences for public health and safety.
**The Goal of these Sites**
According to experts, the primary goal of these AI-driven news sites is to fool search engines like Google and Bing into indexing their content, which can bring in revenue through targeted advertising. While this may seem like a minor concern, it's essential to remember that the primary objective of journalism should be to provide accurate and trustworthy information, not to generate profits.
**The Potential for Bias**
Unfortunately, some experts believe that these AI-driven news sites will also incorporate social media-style biases into their content, making them even more effective at hooking readers. While this may seem like a minor concern, it's essential to remember that the spread of misinformation can have significant consequences for public health and safety.
**Conclusion**
The rise of AI-driven news sites is a growing concern that requires attention from journalists, policymakers, and readers alike. While these sites may claim to provide knowledge and information, they often lack the nuance and depth that human journalists bring to the table. It's essential to remain vigilant and critically evaluate the content we consume online, especially when it comes to news sources that rely heavily on AI-generated content.