- The Guardian complained to Microsoft about an inappropriate AI-generated poll featured next to one of their articles.
- Microsoft’s AI-generated poll asked readers to vote on the cause of a suspected murder, which harmed The Guardian’s reputation.
- The incident highlights the lack of editorial judgment, human decency, and common sense in AI technology.
- The Guardian is one of the first outlets to openly criticize a mainstream tech company over their use of AI.
- Other major publishers are forming an alliance to take legal action against platforms that use large language models to consume their news copy.
- This incident occurs amidst a UK AI Safety Summit hosted by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, which focuses on existential risks rather than immediate concerns.
UK newspaper, The Guardian, has lodged a complaint against Microsoft after an AI-generated poll was displayed next to one of their articles on the Microsoft Start aggregated news service. The poll was grotesquely inappropriate and asked readers to vote on the cause of a suspected murder. This incident raises concerns about the current state of artificial intelligence, as it lacks editorial judgment, human decency, and common sense.
Microsoft Start, a news service that incorporates AI-generated content, includes features that present readers with polls alongside news articles. However, in this case, the AI-generated poll was highly insensitive and had a significant negative impact on The Guardian’s reputation. The CEO of The Guardian’s parent company, Anna Bateson, wrote a letter to Microsoft President Brad Smith expressing the harm caused by the inappropriate poll.
This incident brings attention to the role of copyright and the need for publishers to negotiate the terms on which their journalism is used. While The Guardian is one of the first outlets to openly criticize a mainstream tech company over their use of AI, other major publishers are also considering legal action against platforms that use large language models to consume their news copy.
Interestingly, this complaint comes at the same time as UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak hosts an AI Safety Summit. The summit’s agenda focuses more on the existential risks of advanced AI rather than addressing more immediate concerns faced by the industry. This may indicate a disconnect between the current issues surrounding AI technology and the discussions happening at the summit.
In conclusion, The Guardian’s complaint against Microsoft highlights the need for AI technology to be more aware of editorial judgment, human decency, and common sense. While advancements in AI have the potential to revolutionize various industries, incidents like this remind us of the importance of responsible implementation and oversight. It is crucial for tech companies to prioritize ethical considerations and ensure that AI systems do not harm the reputation or integrity of news publishers.