The internet has undeniably transformed our lives in innumerable ways, yet it hasn't fully revolutionized the way we consume news. Currently, news economics favor content that incites potent reactions or content that is inexpensive to produce, often leading to shallow or inflammatory reporting. To counter this, I propose a different approach - "The Good News Website".
The Good News Website is a future project that aims to reimagine news delivery. It involves creating a platform that will daily connect to various trustworthy news source APIs, gathering a vast array of information. A key feature of this platform is its use of an advanced Language Learning Model (LLM) like GPT-4. This model will sift through the day's news, discerning the most critical and influential stories and subsequently write comprehensive articles about them.
However, the LLM won't merely report the news. Each article will place its subject into a broader global and historical context, emphasizing humanity's positive and forward strides wherever feasible. For example, if a terrible crime dominates the day's headlines, the LLM-authored article will be biased to underline that such incidents have become significantly less common compared to previous decades, if this is indeed the case. If this is not the case, the article will discuss possible reasons why society if failing in this way and what may be done to correct our shared course.
But what sets this project apart even further is its commitment to transparency and positivity. The pre-prompt for the LLM that sets the tone, style and bias will be open-sourced, ensuring a clear view of the process behind the news generation. This open-source nature also allows for the algorithm to be audited and critiqued by anyone. Furthermore, the pre-prompt will be deliberately skewed towards positivity and optimism. However, this doesn't mean the platform will compromise on accuracy or shirk from reporting difficult news. Instead, it means we'll highlight the silver linings and the progress humanity is making, even in the face of adversity.
Ultimately, the Good News Website seeks to offer an alternative to current news consumption models. By delivering timely, accurate, and engaging content that fosters a sense of optimism and progress, we hope to leave our readers feeling not just informed, but uplifted. Given its potential to reshape our relationship with news and ultimately one another, this project comfortably sits at the top of my ideal future projects list.