Microsoft Plans To Bring AI Chatbot Into News Production, But As A Research Tool Only

While human reporters will retain editorial control, the AI chatbot will function as a research tool, expediting the process of drafting news articles by generating summaries and initial drafts.

Microsoft has forged a partnership with media startup Semafor to integrate an AI chatbot into news production. The collaborative effort, known as Project "Signals," aims to revolutionise the delivery of breaking news by incorporating a multitude of perspectives, as claimed by the tech giant. The initiative seeks to amalgamate the expertise of human journalists with the capabilities of AI technology. While human reporters will retain editorial control, the AI chatbot will function as a research tool, expediting the process of drafting news articles by generating summaries and initial drafts.

"Semafor envisions Signals as a platform that streamlines the dissemination of breaking news by organising information and presenting diverse viewpoints," stated a representative of the startup. Through a meticulous curation process, journalists will distil essential facts from a plethora of sources, including those offering differing perspectives on the same subject matter.

To bolster journalistic efforts, AI tools will facilitate the exploration of news sources across various languages and regions, broadening the scope of coverage and ensuring the inclusion of diverse viewpoints. Following the AI-assisted research phase, editors will meticulously evaluate sources, compose concise summaries, and provide transparent citations to original information.

While Semafor emphasised that all content generated through Signals will be authored by human journalists, Microsoft's involvement extends beyond technological support. The tech giant is reportedly providing substantial financial backing to Semafor, underlining its commitment to advancing journalistic endeavours through AI innovation.

In a statement, Microsoft outlined its collaborative efforts with Semafor to leverage AI tools for enhancing journalistic research, source discovery, and translation services within the Signals framework. This collaboration aims to empower journalists in delivering credible and diverse news content to audiences at local, national, and global levels.

Interestingly, Microsoft's involvement in AI-driven journalism comes amid legal scrutiny, with The New York Times filing a lawsuit against the tech company for allegedly scraping its data to train AI language models.