August 8, 2023: One step toward regulating AI, the argument for public-sponsored journalism and a new monument around the Grand Canyon. Read it all below. —Andrea Gawrylewski, Chief Newsletter Editor | | | Last month, seven U.S. AI companies voluntarily signed onto a list of eight risk management commitments, one of which was to help differentiate AI content from human-made content by developing a watermarking system, or insertion of a covert digital signature into every piece of AI-produced content, so the source is traceable. Ideally, all the widely used generators (such as those from OpenAI and Google) would share a watermarking protocol, and getting other companies to join in would be a challenge, yes, but essential. Every expert Scientific American interviewed said watermarking is only the first step in regulating such content, and will face several technological challenges in order to be implemented properly.
Why this matters: "Fake news" has been a problem online for decades, but AI now enables content mills to publish tidal waves of misleading images and articles in minutes, clogging search engines and social media feeds. Scam messages, posts and even calls or voicemails can be cranked out quicker than ever.
What the experts say: When it comes to misinformation and other AI abuse, watermarking "is not an elimination strategy," says Hany Farid, a computer scientist at the University of California, Berkeley. "It's a mitigation strategy." He compares watermarking to locking the front door of a house. Yes, a burglar could climb through a window, but the lock still adds a layer of protection. | | | Journalism as a Public Good | And now for an issue close to my heart: the state of journalism in America. Half of the nation's more than 3,140 counties now have only one newspaper—and nearly 200 of them have no paper at all. Even large newspapers, networks and magazines are suffering substantial cutbacks. "Americans need to understand that journalism is a vital public good," writes Patrick Walters, an assistant professor in the department of journalism and mass communications at Washington and Lee University. Just like roads, bridges and schools, it is worthy of taxpayer support.
Why this matters: The decline of American journalism leaves a vacuum to be filled by a steady supply of misinformation, often masquerading as legitimate news, and too many communities left without a quality source of local news. Research has found consistent relationships between the prevalence of poverty and "news deserts"--communities that lack a local news source. This is both an equality and public health problem, says Walters.
What can be done: Some have suggested subsidies to support solid journalism. This support could come through tax credits that people could use to support news outlets of their choosing. Such fiscal support could be overseen by publicly elected or appointed officials, who would ensure the news organizations remain free and independent. | | | • President Biden is declaring a national monument around the Grand Canyon, protecting lands important to a dozen Native American tribes and prohibiting new uranium mining claims in the region. | 5 min read | | | • More than half of Earth's species live underground, according to a new study. | 3 min read | | | Credit: June Kim; Source: 2022 Heat Deaths Report. Division of Epidemiology and Informatics, Department of Public Health, Maricopa County, June 2023 | | | • August 6 marked 78 years since the U.S. dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima. "Those who survived wound up providing, without real informed consent or treatment assistance, key data on blast injuries and radiation effects that proved useful for American military planning in the event of a nuclear war," writes Arthur Caplan, an ethicist and the Mitty professor of bioethics at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. | 4 min read | | | A mentor and teacher of mine was, what he called, a "shoe leather" journalist and always told us that to get the story we had to show up early and eat a big bowl of oatmeal for breakfast to stay full. Dogged reporting like that is more vital than ever, so I'm fascinated by suggestions like the one above for how to maintain this vital institution. | Speaking of which, thank you for reading and supporting the mission of Scientific American. Tell me how I can improve this newsletter by emailing: newsletters@sciam.com. May trustworthy journalism endure! | —Andrea Gawrylewski, Chief Newsletter Editor | | Subscribe to this and all of our newsletters . | | | | Scientific American
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