Quartz AI News: How Quartz is Using Artificial Intelligence

Quartz Utilizing AI for News Generation

Quartz, a globally recognized business news source, has been employing artificial intelligence to generate articles, drawing information from other publications like TechCrunch.

AI-Driven Article Production

The publication initiated the creation of AI-generated earnings reports several months ago. Recently, they expanded this practice to encompass shorter, comprehensive articles.

An example is an article titled “South Korea shares preliminary findings on Jeju Air crash investigation,” which consolidates reporting from CNN, MSN, and The Associated Press, originally published on MSN.com.

These AI-created pieces typically average around 400 words in length. Notably, they do not include direct quotations from sources.

Attribution and Transparency

Instead of attributing information within the text itself, a common practice for human journalists, Quartz’s AI system lists its sources exclusively at the beginning of each article.

A representative from G/O Media, Quartz’s parent company, confirmed the existence of this “purely experimental” AI newsroom. However, they refrained from disclosing the specific AI models or tools utilized in the process.

Editorial Oversight and Goals

The selection criteria for stories covered by the AI newsroom remain unclear. The spokesperson indicated the intention is to allow Quartz’s editorial team to concentrate on more in-depth and lengthy investigations.

Each AI-generated article undergoes review by the editorial staff prior to publication.

Concerns Regarding Quality Control

However, quality control appears to be an area needing improvement, as evidenced by an article sourced from TechCrunch last week.

The article in question detailed instructions on how to delete Facebook, Instagram, and Threads accounts, including steps for data download and account removal.

The resulting AI summary, with the headline “How to delete your Facebook, Instagram, and Threads right now,” offered imprecise account deletion guidance.

Linguistic and Editorial Issues

Analysis of the AI-generated articles reveals potential shortcomings. For instance, a headline read “Jobless claims rise slightly as continuing claims set a record.”

This phrasing presents a contradiction: a slight increase in jobless claims alongside record-high continuing claims. Such inconsistencies would likely be flagged by a human editor.

Previous Controversies at G/O Media

In July 2023, G/O Media faced criticism for publishing AI-generated content containing errors, without sufficient editorial review.

Merrill Brown, the company’s editorial director at the time, defended the practice despite objections from journalists at G/O-owned publications like Gizmodo.

Economic Motivations

Utilizing AI-generated content allows publishers like Quartz to reduce labor costs – AI does not require salaries or benefits – potentially increasing profitability.

According to a G/O spokesperson, reader engagement with the AI-generated stories has “far exceeded our expectations.”

Financial Stability

The spokesperson also refuted rumors of financial difficulties, asserting that the company is “very well funded” and possesses sufficient working capital.

They also clarified that recent staff reductions were due to the sale of certain websites in 2024, and that Quartz is currently expanding its editorial team.

Industry-Wide Trend

G/O Media is not alone in experimenting with AI-generated content. CNET and Gannett have also published inaccurate AI-generated articles and artwork.

Sports Illustrated faced scrutiny for publishing content under fabricated bylines.

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