Gannett has temporarily halted the project, stating that it is continually evaluating vendors to ensure the highest journalistic standards. This comes after Gannett shut down ThisWeek Community News, an award-winning newspaper collection that covered local sports. The incident raises questions about the role and effectiveness of AI in journalism.
Key takeaways:
- The Columbus Dispatch, owned by USA Today publisher Gannett, has suspended its AI sports writing bot due to the production of poor quality articles.
- The AI-generated sports articles, which began publishing on August 18, were filled with vague statements and repetitive phrasing, and some failed to populate properly.
- The AI efforts were powered by LedeAI, a startup that claims to use generative AI to provide fast and easy-to-read sports content.
- Gannett has temporarily halted the project and is evaluating vendors to ensure the news and information provided meets high journalistic standards.