11–20 of 83 posts
> I wrongly put words into people’s mouths, when I should have presented them as paraphrases Journalists were doing this for decades. Stitching and editing words out of context, to put words into peoples mouths! I will take AI halucinations over journalists halucinations anytime, at least machine has no hostile intent, and is making a geunine error!
In some sections of the ecosystem, firms still penalize journalists for errors. In other sections, checking reduces the velocity of attention grabbing headlines. The difference in treatment is… farcical.
We need more good journalists, and more good journalism - but we no longer have ways to subsidize such work. Ads / classifieds are dead, and revenue accrues to only a few.
I have no idea how we square this circle.
I have witnessed in person what LLMs have done to the mind of seemingly intelligent people. It’s a disaster.
Looking at the media ecosystem at large, gives me a case of gallows humor. In some sections of the ecosystem, firms still penalize journalists for errors. In other sections, checking reduces the velocity of attention grabbing headlines. The difference in treatment is… farcical. We need more good journalists, and more good journalism - but we no longer have ways to subsidize such work. Ads / classifieds are dead, and…
> “It is particularly painful that I made precisely the mistake I have repeatedly warned colleagues about: these language models are so good that they produce irresistible quotes you are tempted to use as an author. Of course, I should have verified them. The necessary ‘human oversight’, which I consistently advocate, fell short.” What? Irresistible quotes? This betrays a terrible way of thinking as a journalist. Bas…
How did you read that? Something sounding good and making sense and you wanting it to be true doesn't mean you'd fake it.
Good lord, even the apology is AI generated: "That was not just careless—it was wrong." https://pressanddemocracy.substack.com/p/i-am-admitting-my-m...
> “It is particularly painful that I made precisely the mistake I have repeatedly warned colleagues about: these language models are so good that they produce irresistible quotes you are tempted to use as an author. Of course, I should have verified them. The necessary ‘human oversight’, which I consistently advocate, fell short.” What? Irresistible quotes? This betrays a terrible way of thinking as a journalist. Bas…