Microsoft's AI Poll Sparks Controversy and Backlash from The Guardian
The Guardian has accused Microsoft of damaging its journalistic reputation by publishing an AI-generated poll speculating on the cause of a woman's death alongside one of its articles on the Microsoft Start website. The poll, which presented three choices for readers to speculate on, triggered anger and reputational concerns for the news organization. The Guardian's CEO has written a letter to Microsoft, criticizing the use of generative AI without consent and calling for a commitment to not use experimental AI technology alongside Guardian journalism without approval. This is not the first time Microsoft's AI-generated news content has caused controversy.