Wikipedia has long allowed its (human) users to add and edit entries. Recently, it rolled out AI summaries on articles, but pushback from editors has prompted the platform to halt the feature.

As 404 Media reports, Wikipedia began testing AI-generated summaries for mobile on June 2. Users with the Wikipedia browser extension could see a “simple summary” on top of every article. They came with a yellow “unverified” label, which users had to tap to expand and read. 

An open-weight Aya model from Cohere Labs generated the summaries. It was supposed to be a two-week trial for a small set of readers (10%) who opted in. However, the Wikimedia Foundation, the nonprofit that runs Wikipedia, paused the trial on the second day after backlash from editors. 

Much of the feedback was centered around accuracy and credibility. “This would do immediate and irreversible harm to our readers and to our reputation as a decently trustworthy and serious source,” said one editor. “Let’s not insult our readers’ intelligence and join the stampede to roll out flashy AI summaries.”

“With Simple Article Summaries, you propose giving one singular editor with known reliability, and NPOV [neutral point of view] issues a platform at the very top of any given article whilst giving zero editorial control to others. It reinforces the idea that Wikipedia cannot be relied on, destroying a decade of policy work,” said another editor.

“Yuck,” “Absolutely not,” and “Very bad idea” were among some of the other reactions. 

AI summaries are known for providing inaccurate details. In January, Apple was forced to pause its news-focused AI notification summaries after it was caught spreading fake news. More recently, Bloomberg was forced to correct over three dozen AI summaries on articles published this year. The reason? Inaccuracy, again. 

Wikipedia has paused the summaries for now, but the platform will continue testing features that make its content accessible to people with different reading levels. Human editors will remain pivotal to deciding what information appears on Wikipedia, a spokesperson tells 404Media. 

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About Jibin Joseph

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Jibin is a tech news writer based out of Ahmedabad, India. Previously, he served as the editor of iGeeksBlog and is a self-proclaimed tech enthusiast who loves breaking down complex information for a broader audience.

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