New Delhi: Microsoft is making big moves in the world of artificial intelligence (AI) to transform news reporting. The tech giant is partnering with several media organisations to provide journalists with AI-powered tools intended to enhance news coverage, reports the Financial Times.

One key collaboration is with Semafor, the news startup led by former BuzzFeed editor-in-chief Ben Smith. Microsoft is sponsoring a feature called “Signals” that will highlight breaking news and analysis using AI on the publication to rapidly surface reporting from global sources.

While the stories will be written entirely by Semafor’s team of journalists, the AI will help by quickly finding relevant articles published around the world in different languages. It will also provide translation services so reporters can easily incorporate international sources and viewpoints into their stories with proper context.

Microsoft is providing substantial financial backing to Semafor for Signals, though the exact amount remains undisclosed. The goal is to use AI to aid reporters in discovering diverse perspectives on developing news events.

The partnerships follow controversy around AI content-generation tools like ChatGPT producing entire news articles, raising concerns about misinformation. Microsoft aims to demonstrate how AI can legitimately enhance journalism without replacing human reporters.

Last year, The New York Times sued Microsoft and ChatGPT creator OpenAI for copyright infringement. The Times alleges its articles were used to train AI models without compensation.

Beyond Semafor, Microsoft is collaborating with journalism organisations like the Craig Newmark School of Journalism and the Online News Association to develop ethical best practices for AI usage in newsrooms.

As media outlets grapple with emerging technologies like chatbots, Microsoft is positioning itself at the forefront of developing AI’s journalism applications. While risks remain, its latest partnerships attempt to chart a responsible path for AI-assisted reporting.

Agencies

KR Desk