AI technology is being used to generate news articles on local news sites across the country, with outlets like Hoodline employing AI to produce content that covers crime, local politics, weather, and events. While this technology offers opportunities for news organizations, experts caution against relying too heavily on AI as it can lead to credibility issues and the spread of misinformation. Some media companies integrating AI have faced public embarrassment due to errors in AI-generated articles.
Hoodline, originally founded in 2014 as a San Francisco-based hyper-local news outlet, has expanded into a national network of local websites, drawing millions of readers each month. The site began incorporating AI-generated articles in the past year but maintains that the essence of its journalism is driven by human insight and discretion. Chief executive Zachary Chen defended the site’s use of AI, stating that it provides valuable reporting in news deserts and plans to hire more human journalists in the future.
However, Hoodline faced criticism for blurring the line between reality and illusion by embellishing AI author bylines with fake headshots and biographical information, which have since been removed. Experts raised concerns about the site’s transparency and warned that misleading readers about AI-generated content could erode public trust in news organizations. The use of AI in journalism should be transparent and ethical to maintain credibility in the industry.
The News/Media Alliance has supported legal action against AI developers who harvest news content without permission, indicating that Hoodline’s practices may violate copyright law. Chen asserted that the outlet takes copyright laws seriously and has refined its processes to ensure compliance. While AI has a place in newsrooms to assist journalists in research and reduce costs, Hoodline’s approach of using machine-written articles under human names has been criticized as misleading and potentially harmful to public trust.
Research has shown that the public is less trusting of news labeled as AI, indicating a reluctance to pay for news generated solely by AI. Hoodline’s network of local news sites heavily relies on AI-generated content, rewritten from press releases or aggregated from other sources. Despite profitability, the outlet plans to hire more human journalists and develop AI news anchors to deliver stories in short-form videos, utilizing the fake bylines currently published on the site.
Former Hoodline reporter Nuala Bishari expressed surrealism at seeing her job replaced by AI, emphasizing the need for bigger solutions to sustain local news reporting. She warned that without significant changes, journalism as we know it may struggle to survive, with the risk of being overshadowed by AI technology. The transformation at Hoodline highlights the ongoing challenges faced by news organizations in adapting to the evolving landscape of digital journalism.
