Study Reveals 9% of Newspaper Stories Contain Undisclosed AI-Generated Content
Summary
A groundbreaking study of 186,000 newspaper stories reveals that 9% contain undisclosed AI-generated content, with smaller local papers using artificial intelligence significantly more than national publications, especially for weather, science, and health coverage, while major outlets deploy AI 6.4 times more frequently in opinion pieces than news stories.
Key Points
- A new study analyzing 186,000 newspaper stories finds that approximately 9% of newly-published articles are either partially or fully AI-generated, with usage being widespread but rarely disclosed to readers
- AI usage is significantly higher in smaller local newspapers with lower circulation compared to nationally-circulated papers, particularly for weather, science, tech, and health topics, as well as Spanish-language coverage
- Opinion content in major publications like The New York Times, Washington Post, and Wall Street Journal is 6.4 times more likely to contain AI-generated content than news articles, with usage increasing dramatically after late 2022