Google is reportedly delving into the realm of artificial intelligence (AI) journalism, with the development of an AI tool, codenamed “Genesis,” which is intended to aid journalists in their work. The technology giant is exploring the use of AI tools to generate news articles, and The New York Times has revealed that Google is currently in discussions with news organisations to potentially employ these tools to assist journalists.
The exact differentiating features of this AI technology compared to existing AI systems used for article generation, or even Google’s own AI chatbot, Google Bard, remain somewhat unclear. However, the search giant has allegedly pitched its AI tool to prominent news outlets such as The Washington Post, News Corp, and The New York Times itself.
As it stands, Genesis is under development as a personalised tool that can produce news copy when fed with event-specific details. Sources familiar with the matter state that Google envisions Genesis to act as a valuable personal assistant for journalists.
Attempting to clarify the purpose behind the AI tool, a Google spokesperson informed The Verge that the initiative is still in its early stages, with a primary goal of exploring ways to potentially offer AI-enabled tools to enhance journalistic work. For example, these AI tools could assist journalists by providing headline options or suggesting different writing styles.
The spokesperson added, “Our goal is to give journalists the choice of using these emerging technologies in a way that enhances their work and productivity, just like we’re making assistive tools available for people in Gmail and in Google Docs.”
We’ve Seen Bard. So Why Adding Another AI Product?
In my view, it seems unnecessary for Google to venture into yet another AI product for journalism, especially when considering the availability of existing tools like Google Bard that have not been performing well, and of course AI integrations in Gmail and Google Docs. Some of the functionalities present in Bard are already available in AI tools such as ChatGPT and others.
Google has a track record of striving for dominance in internet-related fields and user applications. However, the introduction of “Genesis AI,” seems unnecessary; especially if user feedback and preferences were not driving the decision. The success of any new product lies in catering to the genuine needs of users.
As Google pushes forward with the development of Genesis AI, Innovation Village eagerly awaits further details about its capabilities and how it aims to change AI journalism.
