It is a plea calling on political leaders and managers of the information sector to regulate the use of artificial intelligence (AI). If the signatories say they support “the responsible advancement and deployment of generative AI”they consider it necessary “only a legal framework” be elaborated “to protect the content that feeds the applications” that use AI.
Among the ten signatories of the column published on Wednesday August 9 are several international press agencies – including Agence France-Presse and Associated Press (AP) – the American media group Gannett-USA Today Network, as well as professional organizations (such as the Guild of authors, or the News Media Alliance, which represents approximately 2,000 newspapers in Canada and the United States). United).
The news companies that signed this open letter are indeed concerned that these generative AI applications “produce factual errors and fictitious information, in addition to propagating prejudice”even without “malicious intent”. A danger that is all the more important as public confidence in the media is fragile today, particularly on the Web; only 33% of French people questioned for the 2023 edition of the barometer produced by Kantar Public for The cross trust online media. Also, the signatories advocate that generative AI model providers “take steps to eliminate bias and misinformation in their services”.
Finally, the open letter asks for more “transparency” around AI training methods and seeking the consent of media companies – the latter being intellectual property rights holders – before using their content, such as photos or news articles, to train generative AIs.
RSF: AI will “radically transform journalism”
On this last point, the media are advancing their pawns in the hope of obtaining financial compensation. On July 20, Google confirmed to launch a partnership with the New York TimesTHE washington post as well as the wall street journal, to develop a new AI tool, called “Genesis” internally, to help journalists write their articles. The Open AI start-up, which created ChatGPT, has, for its part, entered into an agreement with the American press agency AP to use its archives since 1985.
The AI will “radically transforming the world of journalism”, nevertheless warned Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on July 27, announcing the establishment of a special commission to work on the subject. About twenty academics and professionals must deliver their conclusions by the end of the year.
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