JapanMedia and entertainment2023Liberstudio
The HEADLINE automated news article generation
The HEADLINE stopped its article-generation system and removed 49 articles after a plagiarism review
Problem
The publisher developed a system to generate articles about topical keywords and events using information from news websites. It intended to combine factual reporting with its own explanations.
Approach
The experimental system published articles in August 2023. After a plagiarism complaint, the publisher removed all 49 articles generated by the system; its review identified clear plagiarism in 15. It stopped the system on August 23, deleted the collected data and generated articles, and decided against developing another system under the same requirements. The publisher attributed the incident to insufficient understanding of copyright and inadequate recognition of compliance risks.
Results
Takeaway
The publisher intended to reuse facts, but its system also reproduced protected expression. Its release process allowed experimental output to reach readers before that distinction had been checked.
Categories
- Size
- Small business
- Industry
- Media and entertainment
- Business function
- Internal work and knowledge management
- Innovation type
- Process innovation
- AI technology
- Generative AI
- Adoption
- Built in-house
- Evidence
- Company's own claim
Sources
Source summaries
The publisher explained the experimental generation system and its investigation. It described removing the initial article and the other 48 generated articles.
The report reproduced the publisher's findings and shutdown timeline. It reported 49 withdrawn articles, including 15 with clear plagiarism, and the decision to abandon development under the same requirements.
Full details are in the original sources.