ZOMBIE BLOG ALERT: OLD APPLE SITE RESURRECTED BY AI, FRAUDULENT BYLINES ADDED!
In an eerie echo of the science-fiction narrative where technology takes over human occupations, we find ourselves examining a real-life instance where Artificial Intelligence (AI) hijacks the realm of digital journalism. What was once a reputable Apple blog, The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW), found that its former authors had become victims of AI repurposed content following a change in ownership. Future implications are complex.
The new proprietor, Web Orange Limited, didn't just take control of the domain; they began a sophisticated mimicking operation. They posted "new" articles under the names of former writers who had left the platform over a decade ago. To accompany these pseudo-articles, they employed AI-generated images and bios of the erstwhile authors.
The content on the revamped TUAW site, however, was not fresh input, as one would hope or assume. Instead, the team at Web Orange Limited utilized AI to rewrite and refurbish content from old, archived TUAW articles, resulting in a decidedly "plagiarized" version of the original pieces.
This uncanny situation was brought to light by former TUAW writer, Christina Warren, who stumbled across posts accredited to her name on the new site, even though she had not contributed to TUAW since 2009. Quite reasonably, she found this disconcerting and misleading.
Following Warren's discovery, and the ensuing threat of legal repercussions, Web Orange Limited quickly reacted by altering the names associated with the posts and purging their details from the About Us segment of the site.
However, it appears that this operation extends beyond TUAW. iLounge, another website falling under the management of Web Orange Limited, also flaunts content which appears to be AI-generated, complete with stock profile pictures for its ghost-writers.
The man behind the curtain, once identified on Web Orange's about page as owner Haider Ali Khan, seems to have made himself scarce, with all mentions of him removed following the TUAW debacle. Notably, a company named Web Orange Limited is registered in Hong Kong, and a CEO with the same name is tied to a web hosting enterprise called OrangeHost in Delaware.
Former TUAW author Christina Warren has expressed relief that her name is no longer associated with the new TUAW site and has stated she believes there's no longer a need for legal counsel. But what does this episode spell out for the future of digital journalism and copyright?
This situation underscores the urgent requirement for stricter regulations and norms around the use of AI in publishing. The potential for AI to plagiarize or disregard the rights of human authors challenges the fundamental principles of intellectual property, creative effort, and authorship.
The legal and ethical implications are convoluted, necessitating an immediate reevaluation of current copyright legislation to protect authors. How we navigate this issue will shape the standards for future generations of writers, AI or otherwise, and the integrity of the written word. For technology may well shape our future, but it is humanity that must guide its course.