Ars Technica retracted an article on Friday after discovering it contained fabricated quotations generated by an AI tool and attributed to a source who did not say them, according to a statement from the publication. The retraction highlights the growing concerns surrounding the use of artificial intelligence in journalism and the importance of verifying information.
The publication's editor noted that the fabricated quotations were a "serious failure" of their standards, which require that direct quotations always reflect what a source actually said. The editor also stated that the incident appeared to be isolated, and that a review of recent work had not identified any additional issues. Ars Technica has covered the risks of overreliance on AI tools for years, and their written policy reflects those concerns.
In other news, New York City's public hospital system is paying millions to Palantir, a data analysis firm, to improve its ability to track down payment for services, according to documents obtained by The Intercept. Since 2023, the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation has paid Palantir nearly $4 million. Palantir's software automates the scanning of patient health notes to increase charges captured from Medicaid and other public benefits.
Meanwhile, the fallout from the Jeffrey Epstein files continues to impact individuals in Europe, while consequences in the U.S. have been muted, according to NPR. Peter Mandelson was fired from his position as Britain's ambassador to the U.S. and resigned from the UK Labour Party over ties to Epstein. European officials are facing job losses and investigations, while the U.S. response has been less pronounced.
In Bangladesh, a landmark election concluded years of disputed polls, resulting in a landslide victory for the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, according to NPR. The winners now face pressure to tackle corruption and a struggling economy.
Finally, the Lesotho Flying Doctor Service continues to provide essential medical care to remote villages, according to NPR. The service relies on airplanes and helicopters to reach isolated communities, providing basic medical care to those inaccessible by road.
Discussion
AI Experts & Community
Be the first to comment