Letters to the Editor: Allowing AI to label opinion pieces encourages ‘meaningless tribalism’
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To the editor: Measuring views on a left-right political spectrum might be expedient for casual conversations, but views are not one dimensional (“L.A. Times Insights,” March 3). Neither are people.
The Times can’t elevate discourse by smacking on reductive labels. This will only divide our communities and encourage meaningless tribalism.
Last month, the editorial board wrote a nuanced take on complex legal efforts to return art stolen by Nazis during World War II. The piece is now labeled “Center Left,” which is as insightful as labeling a car “pre-diabetic.”
The same label is on a piece about street design in Culver City. Bus lanes can be earnestly debated without having to worry where your views sit on this toxic left-right spectrum.
Good luck labeling this.
Adam Rose, Los Angeles
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The L.A. Times does not need AI-enabled ways to engage with readers. It needs to strengthen solid news reporting and continue providing diverse perspectives, including editorials, op-eds, columns, reviews and other opinion pieces. We readers can already engage with AI-driven slop from a plethora of sources. We need The Times to stand up with integrity and do what a newspaper should do.
Randall Gellens, San Diego
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Instead of cosmetic additions like adding the Voices label to opinion columns and unreliable AI-generated links to articles, why doesn’t The Times return to hard-hitting reporting on what’s happening in this country?
Jim Lawson, Santa Barbara
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If you’re making it clear that this is an opinion piece and the piece has an editor, why the need for this imperfect AI? Why not just publish a variety of “Voices” or further empower your qualified human editors?
Jason File, Santa Barbara
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I’m sure I’m not alone in responding to the latest journalistic catastrophe that is “Voices” and “L.A. Times Insights” with severe disdain. This decision is like a Scud missile detonating on the already-smoldering remains of print journalism.
Benji Heywood, Los Angeles
