Los Angeles Times owner Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong is again raising eyebrows amongst the paper’s staff with the introduction of an AI-powered feature that analyzes stories for their political viewpoint.
The executive chairman of L.A.’s paper of record announced this “L.A. Times Insights” tool in a letter to readers on Monday alongside a couple of other editorial changes. The feature, as demonstrated in several articles that appeared on the paper’s website on Monday, situates a piece’s tone within the political spectrum (an opinion piece calling for disclosure of the use of A.I. in documentaries was “center left”; another saying the American conservative movement should shun the Tate brothers was considered “right”). It also summarizes a piece’s position and offers up “different views on the topic” with links to alternate news articles or blog entries.
“The purpose of Insights is to offer readers an instantly accessible way to see a wide range of different AI-enabled perspectives alongside the positions presented in the article,” Soon-Shiong wrote. “I believe providing more varied viewpoints supports our journalistic mission and will help readers navigate the issues facing this nation.”
The Insights feature will be attached only to some pieces considered to be written “from a point of view,” which will now be labeled “Voices.” The purpose of these changes, according to the paper’s owner, is to further delineate opinion work from news reporting. Wrote Soon-Shiong, “If a piece takes a stance or is written from a personal perspective, it may be labeled Voices” — whether it is a classic opinion piece, a film review or a commentary on the news.
In a statement, L.A. Times Guild vice chair Matt Hamilton said the newspaper’s union supported initiatives that will help readers better understand the media and opinion versus news reporting. “But we don’t think this approach — AI-generated analysis unvetted by editorial staff — will do much to enhance trust in the media,” Hamilton said. “Quite the contrary, this tool risks further eroding confidence in the news. And the money for this endeavor could have been directed elsewhere: supporting our journalists on the ground who have had no cost-of-living increase since 2021.”
Soon-Shiong’s letter to readers on Monday noted that errors may be produced as a result of the Insights feature. “AI is an experimental, evolving technology. If you see an error, please report it on the Insights page,” the letter stated.
Soon-Shiong has promised such a tool since at least late last year, when he announced the paper’s product team was working on a “bias meter.”
Tensions between Soon-Shiong, who bought the Times in 2018, and the paper’s staff began spilling out into the open early last year as top editor Kevin Merida headed for the exits. But things escalated in late October after it was revealed that Soon-Shiong decided the paper would not endorse any presidential candidate in the 2024 election, prompting three members of the editorial board to resign.
Soon-Shiong has since been on an apparent campaign to reshape the paper, going on Fox News in November to claim he would move the publication in the direction of sharing the “views of all” and calling for conservative CNN commentator Scott Jennings to join the editorial board (Jennings now contributes pieces to the paper). Recently, meanwhile, a buyout offer has shrunk the paper’s staff. Editorial writer Carla Hall, who has said she was the final member of the editorial board before she left, took the offer.
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