Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

AI-Powered Robots Are Now Being Used to Report the News and People are Torn About It

AI-Powered Robots Are Now Being Used to Report the News and People are Torn About It
Credit: ANDRZEJ WOJCICKI/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY/GETTY IMAGES

The future is now.

Last week, the Australian edition of The Guardian posted an article with no byline. The data-driven report was the first of its kind for the publication for one intriguing reason: It was written by a robot.

The article stated at the end:


"This story was generated by ReporterMate, an experimental automated news reporting system."

Robot reporters are becoming more and more ubiquitous in another instance of technology transforming the landscape of journalism.

The reports—like the one in The Guardian, which reported on donations to political parties—are data-driven. They can analyze large amounts of numbers and information, distilling these with greater ease and accuracy than a human reporter. Considering the interference of Russian "bots" in the 2016 election, it's understandable that robot reports carry a negative connotation to some, but news executives insist that the development isn't a negative one and that distinctly human skills are now being put to greater use.

Lisa Gibbs, the director of news partnerships for the Associated Press, told the New York Times:

“The work of journalism is creative, it’s about curiosity, it’s about storytelling, it’s about digging and holding governments accountable, it’s critical thinking, it’s judgment — and that is where we want our journalists spending their energy.”

In what may come as a surprise, a growing number of journalists and media workers are getting on board.

But as journalistic institutions resort to massive layoffs at an alarming rate, some think the technology could pose a threat in a news cycle that's moving faster than ever before.

People still remain wary of the technology.

Though it's certainly growing, automated reporting has been in use for nearly a decade and is quickly becoming more of an asset than a threat to the news industry.

Journalists' jobs seem to be safe for now.

More from News

Donald Trump
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Trump Blasted For Announcing New Additions To The White House Lawn As Global Tensions Escalate

President Donald Trump was criticized after announcing that two new flagpoles would be added to the North and South Lawns of the White House—not the greatest look amid heightened global unease as tensions between Israel and Iran ramp up.

According to the Associated Press, Trump watched as a crane installed the newest flagpole on the South Lawn, remarking, “It’s such a beautiful pole.” He later returned to the site to salute as the American flag was raised for the first time.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots of Donald Trump from CNN supercut
CNN

Trump Mocked For 'Two Weeks' Iran Deadline With Supercut Of All His 'Two Weeks' Promises

President Donald Trump has a history of promising to resolve problems within "two weeks," and a new viral supercut mocks him for all the times he's said as much—including right now with tensions in the Middle East higher than ever.

Trump said Thursday he will decide within two weeks whether to involve U.S. forces directly in the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, citing what he called a “substantial chance” for renewed nuclear negotiations with Tehran.

Keep ReadingShow less
red flag with pole on seashore
Seoyeon Choi on Unsplash

People Break Down The 'Silent Red Flags' Folks Tend To Ignore In Relationships

A red flag has come to mean any warning sign in life, in addition to the literal red flags that are placed on beaches or industrial sites to warn people of danger.

People will respond to situations by saying, "That’s a red flag." But before that language evolved, they'd just call them "warning signs."

Keep ReadingShow less
Ted Cruz; Tucker Carlson
The Tucker Carlson Show

Tucker Carlson And Ted Cruz Get Into Shouting Match Over Iran In Bonkers Interview Clip

Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz—a harsh Donald Trump critic-turned-MAGA minion—sat down with fired Fox News personality Tucker Carlson for the conservative influencer's self-produced online content,The Tucker Carlson Show, for the Tucker Carlson Network.

On Tuesday, Carlson shared a 1.5-minute clip revealing that things got contentious when the pair touched on the Trump administration's escalating tensions with Iran.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump; Barack Obama
Suzanne Plunkett-Pool/Getty Images; Scott Olson/Getty Images

Resurfaced Trump Tweet Criticizing Obama Over Iran Comes Back To Bite Him

Amid tensions with Iran, President Donald Trump was criticized for hypocrisy after social media users resurfaced a 2013 tweet in which he accused former President Barack Obama of planning an attack on Iran because of his "inability to negotiate properly."

Trump has declined to clarify whether the U.S. is edging closer to launching strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, following a warning from Iran’s supreme leader against any attack and a rejection of Trump’s demand for surrender.

Keep ReadingShow less