All right, so everybody is talking about ChatGPT. You know, sometimes the show can be summed up in one question: What are we afraid of? Yeah, what are we worried about? We’ve got a lot of stuff today. We’re worried about Linden. You know, these days there’s a lot of stuff we’re angry about. Joining us now is Abraham Doris from the Boston Globe. He is the Senior Director of User Experience and Design for Product. He focuses on the digital experience of boston.com and globe.com, as well as the apps.
This is important for a number of reasons. The Boston Globe is one of the legitimate news sources that are left. When we think about AI and chatGPT, one of the things we’re worried about is whether ChatGPT is going to replace real reporters and who’s going to be in control of that. And one more level of concern is how do we know what to believe? So, truth and verification make us feel better.
Abraham explains that generative AI tools like ChatGPT can actually help reporters do their jobs better. They can help reporters go through large data sets, whether it’s information from municipalities or historical records, and make sense of it. However, he doesn’t believe that AI will start writing stories in any meaningful way. While there are companies like United Robots that use trusted data sets to generate stories, it’s not quite there yet for meaningful stories from established publications like the Boston Globe.
Abraham reassures that the rise of generative AI will not affect the mission of newsrooms. It may change how news is delivered and how people interact with news, but reputable news organizations like the Boston Globe are committed to serving the community, truth, and transparency. These tools are just new ways to do it, and they won’t change that. In fact, it will be even more important to protect reputations and be diligent in verifying information.
Abraham also acknowledges the concern about AI-generated content regurgitating itself and the need for human copy editors to ensure accuracy. He emphasizes the importance of institutions that want to traffic trust and truth to protect their reputations and do their due diligence in verifying information. He believes that news organizations will continue to provide both sides of the story and uncomfortable truths, even in the age of AI.
In conclusion, the impact of AI on journalism is significant. While generative AI tools can assist reporters in their work, they are not yet capable of replacing real reporters. News organizations like the Boston Globe remain committed to truth, transparency, and verification. It is crucial to protect reputations and ensure that information is accurate and trustworthy. As AI continues to evolve, it is important for newsrooms to adapt and navigate the challenges it presents while upholding the principles of journalism.
For more information on AI and generative AI, you can check out newsletters like Axios AI, The Rundown AI, and publications like the Washington Post.
