News Corp introduces its own AI model NewsGPT
News Corp Australia has announced the launch of NewsGPT, its own generative AI tool, which it insists will “enhance” staff capabilities “not replace them”. Julian Delany, the company’s chief technology officer, sent a memo to staff on Tuesday, first reported by Capital Brief and seen by Crikey, which outlined what its new toy will be used for. The memo mentioned NewsGPT would be “supporting the creative process” and “streamlining daily tasks”.
Concerns and Considerations
Monica Attard, former ABC Media Watch host and head of journalism at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), expressed concerns about the potential misuse of AI in newsrooms. She highlighted issues such as enforcement and policing of AI usage, as well as the risks of editorial bias. Attard emphasized the importance of implementing ethical training around the use of large language models (LLMs) to mitigate these risks.
Attard also raised the issue of editorial bias, noting that training AI on internal work could create a “closed loop of information” leading to a reinforcement of existing biases within the organization. This closed-loop effect could potentially impact the diversity and objectivity of news coverage.
Industry Response and Actions
Matthew Ricketson from Deakin University cautioned about the potential distortion of public information if AI models heavily rely on a single source like News Corp. He highlighted the risk of running campaigns aggressively and raised concerns about the broader implications of such practices.
Delany described NewsGPT as leveraging leading AI models including ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Anthropic Claude. News Corp’s partnership with AI firm OpenAI, responsible for ChatGPT, underscores the company’s commitment to integrating AI technologies into its operations.
Policy and Compliance
News Corp has implemented policies to regulate the use of AI within its organization, including disabling access to unauthorized AI tools like Google Gemini. The company has also taken steps to evaluate and approve AI applications to ensure compliance with established guidelines.
In response to queries about NewsGPT, a spokesperson for News Corp confirmed the presence of policies governing the use of AI tools. The company remains focused on ensuring responsible AI deployment while upholding editorial standards and transparency.
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