Don't settle for the AI version of The Croton Chronicle--insist on the real thing!
Posting of the Chronicle is forbidden on a popular Croton Facebook page, so members are forced to do an end run to discuss the articles.
Earlier this week the Chronicle published an extensive, in-depth interview with trustee Nora Nicholson, who is running for re-election in November. This online newspaper, which serves the entire Croton community, is publishing interviews with all six candidates for village office; an interview with Mayor Brian Pugh should be published late next week.
Naturally these interviews are of broad interest in the village, so a leading member of the Facebook group “The Croton Point” wanted to recommend it to other group members. However, the group has a longstanding and explicit policy of prohibiting group members from posting links to The Croton Chronicle, although posting articles from other publications is permissible. So he posted an AI synopsis of the Q&A, which apparently is allowed. (See screenshots above.)
The origins of this Orwellian censorship of a major village media outlet go back almost two years, but we won’t get into them here. Fortunately, we see some signs that members of the group have begun to discuss the wisdom (or lack of it) of this policy, and we have hopes that it will be changed soon.
Meanwhile, we asked ChatGPT: “Which is better, the AI version of The Croton Chronicle, or the real thing?” Here is the answer we got. We will leave it to readers to decide for themselves which way to go, although we think it is fairly obvious.
🔍 1. Content Authenticity & Community Relevance
Real Croton Chronicle: Written and curated by local journalists or contributors who know the community. It likely reflects genuine voices, local priorities, and regional nuances.
AI Version: Can produce grammatically sound and fast content, but it may lack the depth, emotion, or specific local insight unless fed with rich, accurate input from community members.
Verdict: Real thing wins for authenticity and deep local relevance.
⚡ 2. Speed & Volume of Output
AI Version: Can generate stories, summaries, or updates quickly, and even personalize them for different audiences.
Real Chronicle: More limited by time, staffing, and editorial workflow.
Verdict: AI wins for speed and scalability.
🧠 3. Insight, Analysis, and Editorial Judgment
Real Journalists: Provide context, verify facts, and apply ethical judgment in reporting.
AI: Can analyze trends or generate summaries, but it doesn’t replace editorial judgment or investigative work.
Verdict: The real version provides more thoughtful, trustworthy editorial work.
🤖 4. Hybrid Potential
The best version might be a hybrid: the real Croton Chronicle enhanced by AI tools. AI can assist with drafts, data visualizations, or auto-summarizing town meetings, while human editors ensure accuracy, tone, and ethical storytelling.
Final Take:
If you care about local truth, voice, and accountability, the real Croton Chronicle is better.
If you're prioritizing speed, summaries, or augmentation, AI can be a powerful complement—but not a full replacement.
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Comments policy: No personal attacks on real people (you can say what you want about fictional people), please be polite and respectful at all times.
Michael you do a great job of keeping us informed.
Thank you!
Although our elected official may not appreciate your reporting.
It would be in good faith to commend your hard work and honest journalism with a Michael Balter Day!
I agree Michael. Assorted AI programs are useful for pointing--often to sources that one is unaware of---and in that sense, they can be quite useful...But nuance and subtlety are strictly human traits and that is something harder for AI to capture.