CNET corrected 41 of the 77 stories it published that were created using an AI tool. CNET editor-in-chief Connie Guglielmo stated that an internal review of articles revealed many errors and plagiarism.
There are many articles with corrections, including “How much should you keep in a CD?” “Does a home equity loan affect private mortgage insurance?” and many more.
A few articles had correction notes like this one (How to close bank account) that read, “We’ve replaced phrases that were not entirely original,” indicating that some of their languages may have been plagiarized.
Futurism reported that CNET had published articles in AI for months without making any formal announcement. The outlet found numerous errors and plagiarism in CNET’s various articles.
The correction was eventually made and a disclaimer was added to all AI-written stories following the errors: “We are currently reviewing the story for accuracy. We will correct any errors found and update the story.
CNET’s automated tools were used longer than the article-writing machine, and the staff often didn’t know whether a machine or a human coworker wrote the content. These articles, written by AI, aim to manipulate Google searches using SEO-friendly keywords.
Red Ventures, CNET’s parent company and publisher of publications such as Bankrate, The Points Guy, and CreditCards.com, can reap the benefits when a reader registers for a credit account from one of these highly-trafficked articles.
Red Ventures and CNET leadership informed staff on Friday after weeks of discussion about CNET’s disclosure policies regarding AI tools. They said that CNET was temporarily suspending AI-generated content across all sites. However, the errors don’t stop CNET from using AI tools.
Guglielmo wrote today that CNET would continue to explore and test AI to assist our teams in their work. We will embrace it and any new technology that improves our lives.
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