Google Pays Publishers to Test AI Writing Platform

Google is reportedly paying smaller publishers tens of thousands of dollars a year to use its generative AI tools to create and publish stories without disclosing their use of AI or informing the original content sources. The program, part of the Google News Initiative, aims to help under-resourced publishers create aggregated content more efficiently, but it has raised concerns about transparency and the potential impact on journalism. While Google claims the AI tools are not meant to replace journalists, the arrangement has drawn comparisons to Facebook's past deals with publishers for live video content, which ultimately led to job losses in the media industry.