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“AI took my job, literally”—Gizmodo fires Spanish staff amid switch to AI translator

Sep 06, 2023 - arstechnica.com
G/O Media, the parent company of Gizmodo, has replaced the staff of its Spanish-language site Gizmodo en Español with AI translations of English-language articles. The move has been met with criticism, particularly as some of the AI-translated articles have been found to switch languages halfway through due to glitches. The decision is part of a wider trend of media companies using AI tools to increase content output and reduce human labor costs, despite controversy within the journalism community.

Earlier, Gizmodo started publishing AI-generated articles in English without informing its editorial staff, leading to multiple factual inaccuracies and ethical concerns. The loss of original reporting from Gizmodo en Español is a significant blow for Spanish-speaking audiences seeking news about science, technology, and internet culture. Experts argue that AI translation technology, while improved, cannot fully replace human translators due to subtle errors, mistranslations, and lack of cultural knowledge.

Key takeaways:

  • G/O Media, Gizmodo's parent company, has replaced the staff of its Spanish-language site, Gizmodo en Español, with AI translations of English-language articles.
  • The AI translations have been criticized for abruptly switching from Spanish to English midway through articles, and for containing multiple factual inaccuracies.
  • The move to AI translations is part of a broader trend in media companies to maximize content output while minimizing human labor costs, despite controversy within the journalism community.
  • Experts warn that AI translation technology, while improved, still can't fully replace human translators, as it can lead to subtle errors, mistranslations, and lack of cultural knowledge.
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