fable, a popular social media app Which describes itself as a haven for “bookworms and binge-watchers”, created an AI-powered year-end summary feature recapting the books users will read in 2024. It was intended to be playful and fun, but some retellings changed that. Weirdly combative tone. For example, in author Danny Groves's summary, he was labeled a “diversity devotee” after being asked if he was “in the mood for a straight, cis white man's perspective”.
Meanwhile, book influencer Tiana Trammell's summary ended with the following advice: “Don't forget to show up for the white author once in a while, okay?”
Trammell was surprised after sharing her experience with Fable's Summary on Threads, and she soon realized she wasn't alone. “I received several messages from people whose resumes contained inappropriate comments about “disability and sexual orientation,” she says.
Since the debut of Spotify WrappedAnnual recap features have become ubiquitous on the Internet, giving users information about how many books and news articles they read, songs they listened to, and workouts they completed. Some companies are now using AI to completely circumvent or enhance the way these metrics are presented. For example, Spotify now offers a AI-generated podcasts Where robots analyze your listening history and make inferences about your life based on your interests. Fable jumped on this trend by using OpenAI's API to generate summaries of the past 12 months of reading habits for its users, but it didn't expect the AI model to spark commentary that was an anti- Will play the role of the opposing pundit. ,
Fable later apologized on multiple social media channels, including threads and Instagram posted a video Of an executive issuing the MEA Kalpa. “We are deeply sorry for the damage caused by some of our reader summaries this week,” the company wrote in the caption. “We will do better.”
Fable community lead Kimberly Marsh Ealy told WIRED that the company is working on several changes to improve its AI summaries, including an opt-out option for people who don't want them and clearer disclosures. indicates that they are AI-generated. “Right now, we've removed the part of the model that engages the reader in a recreational way, and instead the model simply summarizes the user's taste in books,” she says.
For some users, adjusting the AI doesn't feel like an adequate response. Fantasy and romance author AR Cofer was surprised when she saw screenshots of some of the summaries on social media. “They need to say they are eliminating AI completely. And they need to issue a statement, not just about AI, but apologizing to those affected,'' says Cofer. “This 'apology' on threads seems insincere, mentioning the app is 'playful' as if it somehow condones racist/sexist/ableist quotes.” In response to the incident, Cofer decided to delete his Fable account.
Trammell did the same. She says, “The appropriate action would be to disable the feature and conduct rigorous internal testing, including newly implemented security measures, to ensure that no other platform users are harmed. “