In the wave of AI controversies and lawsuits, CNET has been publicly admonished since it first started posting thinly-veiled AI-generated content on its site in late 2022— a scandal that has culminated in the site being demoted from Trusted to Untrusted Sources on Wikipedia.
Considering that CNET has been in the business since 1994 and maintained a top-tier reputation on Wikipedia up until late 2020, this change came after lots of debate between Wikipedia’s editors and has drawn the attention of many in the media, including some CNET staff members.
AI making shitty content is a symptom… unbridled unlimited greed is the cause.
Some rich asshole - probably someone who would burn their own children alive if it meant a short-term increase in profit margins - thought they’d make more money by stripping it bare and attempting to cash in for a single quarter rather than any sort of long-term investment.
And this is the consequence.
Is it greed if the market environment means they can hardly make any money?
I mean, greed is one reason why they might keep getting shittier, but newspapers similarly aren’t getting shittier because of greed.
Newspapers are reducing in size and scope, not pumping out AI garbage.
“I’m retiring soon, time to milk this for what it’s worth.” is not the thought going through most newspaper editorial departments right now.