Talking Buildings and Pixar-Like Avatars: Cleveland Plain Dealer AI Videos Draw Criticism

Why It Matters

The episode underscores the broader industry challenge of balancing cost‑saving AI tools with ethical standards, as undisclosed AI content can damage trust and set precedents for how news organizations integrate generative technology into their reporting.

Summary

The Cleveland Plain Dealer’s digital site, Cleveland.com, has expanded its use of generative AI by publishing AI‑generated videos featuring a cartoon mascot and animated avatars of its editors, without any disclosure that the content was created by AI. This follows the paper’s earlier AI experiments, including hiring an “AI rewrite specialist” and using a ChatGPT‑based tool to draft stories, and has drawn criticism from readers, journalists and industry observers for the lack of transparency and perceived dilution of journalistic quality. Critics on social media and within the news industry argue the videos resemble low‑budget ads and risk eroding audience trust, while the outlet defends the move as a resource‑driven necessity. The controversy highlights ongoing tensions over AI adoption in newsrooms and the importance of clear disclosure to maintain credibility.