Social networking platform X’s new artificial intelligence tool Grok is causing a stir in the online information economy. With the ability to produce summaries of content based on conversations happening on the platform, concerns are rising over its impact on news publishers and the spread of misleading information.
X recently announced that Grok will provide summaries of viral events with news points and additional commentary under the ‘For You’ tab on the ‘Explore’ page. This service is currently only available to paid users of the platform. While the idea of summarizing news events is not new, using AI to generate these summaries is a first for the platform.
Many worry that Grok’s reliance on user conversations may lead to inaccurate or misleading summaries. Given the platform’s history of misinformation, there are concerns about the tool’s ability to discern accurate information. Some argue that AI tools should not be considered factual sources, as they may struggle with accuracy and reliability.
Furthermore, news publishers are grappling with the impact of AI-generated summaries on their business models. While some are striking deals with AI companies to license their content, smaller publishers fear being left out of these agreements, potentially jeopardizing their businesses.
As technology companies navigate the intersection of AI, journalism, and ethics, the implications of tools like Grok on the online information landscape remain uncertain. With the potential for self-censorship and misinformation, the role of AI in shaping news consumption is a topic of ongoing debate.