Speculations around Google’s unreleased generative artificial intelligence tool being used to re-publish other outlets’ work are inaccurate, Meghann Farnsworth, the tech giant’s spokesperson, has told exchange4media.

A recent news report said that as part of Google’s private programme for a handful of independent publishers, the tech giant would provide the news organizations with beta access to the said tool, in exchange for receiving analytics and feedback. The program is part of the Google News Initiative, which launched in 2018 to provide publishers with technology and training.

The report further noted that as part of the agreement, the publishers are expected to use the suite of tools to produce a fixed volume of content for 12 months. In return, the news outlets receive a monthly stipend amounting to a five-figure sum annually, as well as the means to produce content relevant to their readership at no cost. Reportedly, according to the conditions of the agreement, participating publishers must use the platform to produce and publish three articles per day, one newsletter per week and one marketing campaign per month.

However, Farnsworth clarifies that the experimental tool is being responsibly designed to help small, local publishers produce high quality journalism using factual content from public data sources – like a local government’s public information office or health authority.

Last year, The NewYork Times had reported that in partnership with news publishers, especially smaller publishers, Google was in the earliest stages of exploring ideas to potentially provide A.I.-enabled tools to help their journalists with their work. Farnsworth further noted that publishers shall remain in full editorial control of what is ultimately published on their site.

“These tools are not intended to, and cannot, replace the essential role journalists have in reporting, creating, and fact-checking their articles,” she added.