The scandal also extended to other Red Ventures-owned sites, including Bankrate and CreditCards.com, which were found to be publishing similar AI-generated content. This led to a broader discussion about the reliability of all Red Ventures-owned websites. Despite the controversy, CNET maintains that it is not actively using AI to create new content and stands by the quality of its content and the editorial integrity of its staff. However, the incident serves as a cautionary tale for other media owners considering the use of AI in newsrooms.
Key takeaways:
- Red Ventures-owned CNET had been publishing AI-generated articles filled with errors and plagiarism, leading to a debate about the future of media in the era of AI and a discussion among Wikipedia editors about the reliability of CNET's content.
- As a result of the controversy, CNET was demoted from its once-strong Wikipedia rating of 'generally reliable', which could significantly impact their SEO efforts.
- Other Red Ventures-owned sites, including Bankrate and CreditCards.com, were also found to be publishing similar AI-generated content, leading to further discussions about the reliability of all Red Ventures-owned websites.
- Despite CNET and Bankrate pausing their AI efforts and issuing corrections, the damage was already done, with Wikipedia editors concluding that anything published by CNET after its 2020 sale to Red Ventures could no longer be considered 'generally reliable'.