Google has recently initiated a program offering select independent publishers access to an unreleased generative artificial intelligence (gen AI) platform. Under this arrangement, publishers are provided beta access to the platform in exchange for their feedback and utilization of the tools to generate content. The program, facilitated through the Google News Initiative (GNI), aims to support smaller publishers by offering them AI-enabled tools to streamline content creation processes.
Participants in the program are expected to use the suite of tools to produce a predetermined volume of content over 12 months. In return, publishers receive a monthly stipend totalling a five-figure sum annually, along with access to resources to create content tailored to their audience's interests without incurring costs.
Contrary to speculations, Google emphasizes that the tool is not intended to republish content from other sources but rather to assist small publishers in producing high-quality journalism using factual content from public data sources. The AI platform allows publishers to efficiently aggregate and summarize recently published reports from various sources, including government agencies and neighbouring news outlets, enabling them to generate new articles.
This initiative is part of Google's broader efforts through the GNI to provide publishers with technology and training support. While some programs under the GNI have been beneficial to participating publishers, there has been mixed reception overall. Critics argue that Google's initiatives aim to address problems it helped create, such as revenue extraction from the publishing industry, rather than offering substantial solutions.
Details of the program reveal that participating publishers are required to produce and publish a specific number of articles, newsletters, and marketing campaigns using the platform. Publishers compile a list of external websites producing relevant news and reports, which are then indexed by the platform. When new articles are published on these sources, they appear on the platform's dashboard, and publishers can utilize the gen AI tool to summarize and adapt the content into news stories.
However, concerns have been raised about the potential implications of this approach. Critics argue that scraping content from external sources without consent raises ethical questions, and the resulting articles could draw traffic away from sources, impacting their businesses. Additionally, limitations of the platform, such as its inability to gather new information, raise questions about its value in contributing to the diversity of news content.
In essence, while Google's initiative aims to support smaller publishers by providing AI-enabled tools, it also raises concerns about the ethical and practical implications of using such technology in the journalism industry.