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Generative AI and Fact-Checking

Writer's picture: Joanne MasonJoanne Mason

A person in a blue T-shirt holds out their hand. The words generative AI appears to hover above the palm.

Another cautionary tale about generative AI and accuracy:

 

While copyediting recently, I needed to double check whether the Eastern U.S. is currently in Eastern Standard Time (EST) or Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), since we changed the clocks last month.

 

So I typed this into the Microsoft Bing search box: Is New York currently in EST or EDT?

 

At the top of my search results, Bing's AI program Copilot (formerly Bing Chat) gave me this tidbit:

Screenshot of computer message reading Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). New York is currently in Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). EDT is observed from early March to early November.

"New York is currently in Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)," it told me. "EDT is observed from early March to early November."

 

But there is a problem. It's December, so New York is currently NOT in Eastern Daylight Time.

 

Fortunately, the search results gave me plenty of other links so I could verify the information.

 

It's so easy to take that top, AI-generated result (which is usually in larger letters) and believe it's accurate. But it might not be. User beware!

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