LA Times Withdraws AI Tool After Controversy Over KKK Remarks

The Los Angeles Times has decided to remove its newly launched artificial intelligence feature just one day after its introduction. This decision came after the tool shared a controversial perspective that appeared to downplay the historical racism of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK).

On February 25, the Times had published an article marking the 100th anniversary of the removal of KKK members from Anaheim's city council. The AI-generated feature, dubbed "Insights," included a note stating, "Local historical accounts occasionally frame the 1920s Klan as a product of ‘white Protestant culture’ responding to societal changes rather than an explicitly hate-driven movement, minimizing its ideological threat." This line raised eyebrows and was widely criticized for its interpretation of the KKK's motivations.

The AI tool also presented another viewpoint, suggesting that, according to some critics, focusing on the Klan's past influence might distract from Anaheim's modern identity as a diverse community. This sentiment claimed that recent KKK rallies were isolated events that did not represent current values.

No immediate comment was available from a representative of the LA Times regarding this incident. The note from Insights was meant to fall under a section labeled "different views on the topic."

Only the day before the controversy, LA Times owner Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong had expressed optimism about the Insights feature. He stated that it would give readers a quick glimpse of various AI-generated perspectives that might contrast with the primary narrative of articles. Dr. Soon-Shiong believed this approach would bolster the journalistic mission by helping readers better understand complex issues facing the nation.

Insights was intended to be incorporated into opinion pieces and articles categorized under the Times' "Voices" section, which includes news commentary and critiques. Furthermore, this feature had ambitions to classify articles along the political spectrum, ranging from left-leaning to right-leaning viewpoints.

The political classifications provided by the tool are generated in collaboration with Particle.news, a Bay Area-based AI company. Additionally, the Times has partnered with Perplexity AI to discern various ideas expressed in the Voices articles.

Despite being pulled from the article about the KKK, the Insights tool remains operational in other sections of the Voices stories. Notably, the Insights notes were not vet through traditional editorial processes before their publication; instead, the Times suggested that reader feedback would help refine the AI-generated content over time. This removal suggests that the response to the KKK commentary may have prompted the Times to reconsider the AI tool's application.

Ryan Mac from The New York Times was the first reporter to bring attention to the AI-generated remarks related to the KKK.

LA, Times, AI, KKK, Insights