How Microsoft is Making a Mess of the News After Replacing Staff With AI
The notable homepage of Microsoft, widely accessed as MSN.com and Microsoft Start, has come under scrutiny due to the emergence of misleading and bizarre stories. As a primary source of news for millions of Americans, the site’s transition to relying more on automation and artificial intelligence (AI) for content curation seems to have led to the promotion of false narratives.
In the past, Microsoft employed over 800 human editors in 2018 to curate the news. However, recent years have seen a shift toward automation, with the company reportedly replacing human editors with AI technology.
The prominent use of AI, possibly driven by Microsoft’s early investment in OpenAI, has become a point of contention. The company’s public endorsement of this technology has raised questions about the responsibility associated with its adoption, specifically concerning news content.
An incident causing public outrage occurred when Microsoft republished an article from The Guardian that was accompanied by an AI-generated poll. The article discussed a tragic incident involving a young woman’s death, yet the attached poll asked readers to speculate on the cause of death, prompting backlash for its insensitivity and journalistic integrity.
The Guardian accused Microsoft of damaging its reputation and demanded accountability for the mishandling of the AI-generated poll, considering it a threat to the trust and sensitivity associated with journalism.
This instance highlights broader concerns about Microsoft’s usage of AI to amplify unreliable and false stories, causing controversy due to its potential influence on millions of readers. Former editors expressed concerns about the disconcerting shift in the quality and authenticity of the news content displayed on the site.
Ryn Pfeuffer, an ex-Microsoft editor, noted a significant change in the content, emphasizing that the site has altered considerably, showcasing articles from unreliable sources that were not previously featured during her editorial tenure.
Despite Microsoft’s statement addressing the issue, emphasizing adjustments and commitments to maintain standards, the company’s response remains vague on specifics regarding the AI’s role in content curation and addressing concerns raised by media outlets.
The situation led users like Ferris Kawar to switch away from Microsoft’s homepage due to the perceived decline in quality and ethics in content. Kawar highlighted the importance of accountability in delivering news content that resonates with societal implications.
The evolving dynamics of AI implementation in news curation have brought to light the ethical responsibilities tied to technological advancements in the dissemination of information, particularly in widely accessed platforms like Microsoft’s homepage.
