As AI becomes more of a day-to-day reality in the world of broadcasting and beyond, National Association of Broadcasters President Curtis LeGeyt testified on the technology’s role in modern journalism. LeGeyt stood before the US Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law on Wednesday to highlight the crucial role of broadcasters in delivering free, local news and entertainment.
During his testimony, LeGeyt expressed broadcasters’ concerns about the use of Artificial Intelligence without proper safeguards. He also addresses issues such as the unauthorized use of broadcasters’ copyrighted content without attribution or compensation and the potential manipulation of images and videos of trusted television and radio personalities.
LeGeyt emphasized the trustworthiness of local broadcasters as a news source, citing examples of award-winning journalism. While he acknowledged the potential benefits of AI in journalism, such as aiding in delivering breaking news and translating stories for diverse audiences, he also warns of the risks associated with generative AI, including the unauthorized use of content, the manipulation of trusted personalities, and the challenges posed by deepfakes.
LeGeyt cited a specific examples where AI has been misused, saying, “When a well-known AI platform was recently prompted to provide the latest ‘news’ in Parkersburg, West Virginia, it generated outputs copied nearly word-for-word from WTAP-TV’s website. The station did not grant permission for use of this content, nor were they even made aware of it.”
LeGeyt also discussed the manipulation of a discussion between TV anchors into offensive content. He stressed the importance of addressing these issues, particularly in light of deepfakes and the challenges they pose for newsrooms in identifying legitimate content.
He concluded by emphasizing broadcasters’ pride in their role and their openness to embracing AI to enhance their services while cautioning against the exploitation of new technologies that can undermine local news, urging the subcommittee to monitor AI and its application under current laws.
And what about the fact that AI just searches the internet to get its news…which is the greatest font of misinformation and conspiracy theories out there? Doesn’t that concern anybody?