Trust in AI content takes another beating

Computer says "People don't like the idea of AI in news - or presenting the Top 10 countdown!" All this and more in this week's Content Aware.

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Corbidge comments on... a crack in the Meta mirror
As Meta and Google wobble on the verge of breakup, there are faint signs Facebook may be reassessing its relationship with creators. Rob suggest that in a post-break-up world, those who understand content and how to make it will have a new opportunity to make space in a world currently crowded by a few tech firms.
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America doesn't trust AI to write the news
New research from The Pew Research Center in the US shows a continuing trend of people not trusting AI to write news. A majority of surveyed respondents said they felt AI would have a negative impact on the news people get in the US over the next 20 years, a view shared even by those who were self-proclaimed AI zealots. Happily, 41% said AI could not outperform a journalist today at writing a news story, with only 19% backing the silicon.
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Radio rep battered
In line with the above, a major reason why publishing and media companies have been so gun-shy of pointing AI directly at consumers is because of potential reputational damage if it goes wrong, or audiences simply recoil from them. Such was the case in Australia, where a rising star of radio was discovered to be about as authentic as a $20 Rolex.
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Mountains of Meta AI cash
How much do firms like Meta think AI will be worth to them? Meta were obliged to release information in the Kadrey vs Meta copyright infringement lawsuit which revealed internal estimates of revenues between $460 billion to $1.4 trillion by 2035 for the company's GenAI products. Ambition or hubris? Well, they've just launched a standalone AI app to compete with OpenAI. We don't care what they do with it all, as long as they pay for what they use.
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Does repeating anchor text hurt SEO?
The question has been often asked if using the same phrase across multiple sections of a website weakens the impact of the anchor text by diluting it. Google's John Mueller shares his insight and explains why Google is unlikely to punish such uses.
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AI goes undercover on Reddit
Researchers from the University of Zurich secretly used AI in one of the most popular subreddits, r/changemyview, to test the persuasive capabilities of LLMs. Cue predictable fury from the volunteer moderators who keep things ticking at Reddit, calling the test "psychological manipulation". Ethical concerns notwithstanding, the nature of the test surely reflects real world usage given that any forum or platform of size is now assumed to be at risk of concerted efforts to manage the conversation. The only thing missing from reporting around the furore is whether the AI actually did change anyone's point of view.
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Third-party cookies here to stay
To no great surprise, Google confirmed it has dropped plans to remove third-party cookies from Chrome. If Chrome is mandated to be hived off and sold under antitrust regs, the convoluted and unpopular 'cohort' system it suggested in place of cookies isn't now much use to Google, so we revert to the (also unpopular) status quo - but at least a massive uncertainty for any digital business has been removed. Google don't intend to add a third-party cookie opt-out prompt for users though, which privacy advocates would like to see.
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Duolingo ditches people 
Duolingo has become the latest business to declare shifts to an "AI first" strategy. Coming from a company that calls its employees "Duos", it does seem a bit cold, but it has been keen reassure Duos they're not being replaced - but it's not good news for contractors producing content. Duolingo rose to prominence on the back of a superb "mobile first" strategy a decade ago; now co-founder Luis von Ahn believes AI will give them a similar boost.
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Alibaba challenges OpenAI and DeepSeek
Alibaba is releasing an open-source AI into the wild, a bold statement in the global AI arms race and challenging some of the big names with a powerful offering. Ultimately, and outside of politics, this particular struggle for dominance will likely be decided by efficiency, the cost/utility mix which decides the commercial viability of any application.
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