Recent developments in AI-powered search tools from companies like OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft have sparked concerns about the reliability and visibility of news content online. Evidence suggests that these tools, including chatbots such as Google's Gemini and Microsoft's Copilot, may inadvertently promote false, misleading, or incomplete information.
Despite these implications for news integrity and informed democracy, the New Zealand government has opted to exclude considerations of AI from its efforts to revive the Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill, originally introduced by a previous administration. This bill aims to compel Google and Meta (Facebook and Instagram's parent company) to compensate news organizations for their content. While some local news outlets receive payments from Google, Meta does not currently provide such compensation.
Paul Goldsmith, the Media and Communications Minister, indicated that while amendments to the bill are planned, they will not address the increasing influence of generative AI in news searches. He suggested that broader AI issues will be addressed separately in the future.
Meanwhile, AI companies are forging partnerships with news organizations to use their content, including archives, to train their AI models. Major news outlets such as News Corp, The Financial Times (owned by Nikkei), and Germany's Axel Springer have entered into commercial agreements with AI providers. However, some entities, like The New York Times and Alden Global Capital, have taken legal action against Microsoft and OpenAI, alleging unauthorized use of copyrighted articles to power their AI chatbots.
The impact of these AI-powered tools on news diversity has also come under scrutiny. Analysis conducted over several months in 2023 and 2024 revealed a reduction in news diversity in Google and Microsoft searches. While both search engines continued to feature established news outlets, there was a notable increase in references to non-news sources like industry forums and press releases.
In particular, the study highlighted instances where AI chatbots failed to provide specific links or sources for news stories, instead offering generalized responses without verifiable references. This trend raises concerns about the reliability and transparency of information accessed through AI-generated search results.
The evolving relationship between AI providers and news organizations presents challenges. News publishers face a dilemma: negotiate agreements with AI companies to potentially boost revenue streams, or risk diminished visibility and influence in AI-driven search environments.
As debates continue, the implications for democracy and media revenues remain significant. Ongoing research aims to assess how these dynamics will shape the future landscape of digital news consumption and information integrity.
More: https://techxplore.com/news/2024-07-ai-tools-chatbots-news-visible.html
