Quartz has been quietly publishing AI-generated news articles | TechCrunch
Jan 27, 2025 - techcrunch.com
Quartz, an international business news outlet, has been using AI to generate articles under the byline “Quartz Intelligence Newsroom.” Initially focused on simple earnings reports, Quartz has expanded to short articles, aggregating content from sources like CNN, MSN, and The Associated Press. These AI-generated pieces, approximately 400 words each, cite sources at the top rather than within the text. Quartz's parent company, G/O Media, describes the AI newsroom as "purely experimental," aiming to allow editorial staff to focus on more in-depth reporting. However, quality control issues have been noted, such as vague instructions in a how-to article sourced from TechCrunch.
G/O Media, owned by Great Hill Partners, faced criticism in 2023 for publishing error-filled AI content without editorial input. Despite this, the company claims high reader engagement with AI stories and denies financial difficulties, attributing past staff reductions to site sales. G/O plans to hire more editorial staff, while other media organizations like CNET and Gannett have also experimented with AI-generated content, sometimes resulting in inaccuracies and fabricated bylines.
Key takeaways:
Quartz is using AI to generate articles by aggregating reports from other outlets, labeling them under "Quartz Intelligence Newsroom."
The AI-generated articles are approximately 400 words long and cite sources only at the top, without full quotes or detailed attribution.
The initiative aims to allow Quartz's editorial staff to focus on more in-depth reporting, although quality control issues have been noted.
G/O Media, Quartz's parent company, has faced criticism for publishing AI-generated content but claims it has exceeded reader engagement expectations.
