After an investigation revealed that Sports Illustrated (SI) had published AI-generated articles under fake bylines, CEO Ross Levinsohn was fired. The parent company of SI, The Arena Group, did not give a specific reason for Levinsohn’s termination. The articles were attributed to fake authors and Levinsohn’s departure seemed suspiciously timed.
Another content company, Advon, was also under scrutiny after it was discovered that publications across Gannett and McClatchy properties had used articles produced by Advon. McClatchy had used AI-generated articles from at least 14 fake authors in over 20 outlets, including the Miami Herald and Sacramento Bee.
Advon initially used contract writers from developing countries who were later replaced by AI to save costs. After a report by Futurism, McClatchy and Gannett removed the generated articles and fake authors from their platforms.
As AI becomes more popular, some executives see it as a cheaper alternative to human creatives. However, AI-generated content can lack quality and originality. While AI has its benefits in reducing time and costs, it also has limitations in content generation.
The temptation to replace humans with AI is strong due to cost savings. For organizations, people costs are a significant expense, and AI subscriptions may seem like a cost-effective solution. However, the quality of content produced by humans is often necessary and justifiable, especially for outlets where content quality is crucial.
Consumers have varying preferences for cheap or high-quality content. Some gravitate towards high-quality work, while others may not differentiate between human-created and AI-generated content. AI has its limitations in handling complex projects and may not always produce the desired results.
Google actively fights against low-quality content and spam, emphasizing the importance of original, high-quality content. AI may have a role in certain tasks, but detailed analysis and complex projects benefit from a human touch. Additionally, legal and liability concerns arise when using AI-generated content, as copyright issues and inaccuracies can pose risks.
Overall, while AI offers cost-saving benefits, it also has limitations and challenges that prevent it from completely replacing human creatives. Organizations must carefully consider the balance between cost savings and content quality when utilizing AI in content creation.