Wikipedia has lowered CNET's reliability rating following in-depth discussions among its editors about the implications of AI-generated content on the site’s credibility, as reported by Futurism. This decision addresses concerns regarding the dependability of articles published by CNET after it began releasing AI-generated pieces in 2022. In November 2022, CNET started showcasing articles authored by an AI model under the "CNET Money Staff" byline. The situation gained significant attention in January 2023 when Futurism highlighted that these articles contained numerous instances of plagiarism and inaccuracies. (At around the same time, we reported on BuzzFeed's plans for similar automated content generation. ) Following this revelation, CNET's management halted the initiative, but the damage to its reputation had already occurred. Wikipedia features a page titled "Reliable sources/Perennial sources, " which includes a chart listing various news outlets along with their assessed reliability ratings from Wikipedia's perspective. In the wake of the CNET incident in January 2023, Wikipedia editors initiated a discussion thread on the Reliable Sources project page concerning the publication. "CNET, typically viewed as an ordinary tech RS [reliable source], has begun experimenting with AI-generated articles that are fraught with errors, " stated a Wikipedia editor named David Gerard. "So far, the experiment isn’t going well, as it shouldn't. I haven't found any, but any of these articles incorporated into a Wikipedia entry should be removed. " Following agreement from other editors in the discussion, they started the process of downgrading CNET's reliability rating.

As of now, Wikipedia's Perennial Sources list includes three entries for CNET across three distinct time frames: (1) prior to October 2020, when CNET was considered a "generally reliable" source; (2) between October 2020 and October 2022, wherein Wikipedia notes that Red Ventures acquired the site in October 2020, leading to a decline in editorial standards and indicating a lack of consensus about its reliability; and (3) from November 2022 to the present, where CNET is currently deemed "generally unreliable" after employing an AI tool "to rapidly produce articles filled with factual inaccuracies and affiliate links. " A screenshot of the chart showing CNET's reliability ratings appears on Wikipedia's "Perennial Sources" page. Futurism notes that the controversy surrounding CNET's AI-generated content also ignited a wider debate within the Wikipedia community about the trustworthiness of Red Ventures-owned sources, such as Bankrate and CreditCards. com, which also released AI-generated materials around the same time as CNET. Editors critiqued Red Ventures for lacking transparency regarding the implementation of AI, further diminishing trust in its publications. This lack of openness significantly influenced the decision to lower CNET's reliability rating. In light of the downgrade and ongoing debates over AI-generated content, CNET responded with a statement asserting its commitment to high editorial standards. "CNET is the world’s largest provider of unbiased tech-focused news and advice, " stated a CNET spokesperson to Futurism. "We have earned trust for nearly 30 years due to our rigorous editorial and product review practices. It is essential to clarify that CNET is not actively using AI to generate new content. While we do not have specific plans to resume such practices, any future efforts would adhere to our public AI policy. "