Unsure if it is a nice innovation or a gateway to chaos, although that’s additionally been the case with most of Elon Musk’s updates on the platform previously generally known as Twitter so far, so…

This week, X has launched new information summaries, powered by its Grok AI engine, which can use X posts to provide you with real-time summaries of the newest trending conversations within the app.

As you possibly can see on this instance, X Tales will present an outline of no matter points are gaining traction at any given time, supplying you with a fast means you to make amends for the primary subjects of debate of the day.

Which is sweet in some methods. It’ll prevent having to undergo all of the posts in a subject stream, for instance, with a purpose to decide key factors, whereas it’ll additionally most likely prevent having to click on by means of to a web site to learn extra in regards to the problem in-depth.

But it surely might not be so nice in others.

For one, X is planning to use X posts solely for these summaries, which signifies that if these posts begin to veer off-track, or, for instance, use sarcasm, that would confuse issues.

Like this:

Just lately, X’s Grok AI system misinterpreted criticism of NBA star Klay Thompson’s taking pictures woes (chucking bricks) as Thompson occurring a vandalism spree. Which is humorous, and most easily noticed the humorous aspect of the error.

However then there’s additionally this:

This incident by no means occurred, however Grok misinterpreted varied posts on X and generated this headline story.

Not as humorous this time round.

Basically, the reliance on X posts means additionally counting on a) these posts being correct, and b) the system with the ability to precisely interpret that means inside every.

Which is a giant ask, and the examples so far would counsel that Grok is just not fairly on the stage required as but.

However there’s additionally one other potential draw back, which X proprietor Elon Musk seemingly doesn’t significantly care about, given his overt disdain for the media extra broadly. By offering extra detailed story summaries in-stream, and lessening the necessity for customers to faucet by means of to a web site hyperlink, that may even cut back the worth of X for information publishers, who’re nonetheless key drivers of debate within the app.

Logically, Musk needs to maintain folks on X for so long as potential, which is why he’s added in-stream articles and long-form posts as a substitute for driving visitors to information web sites. Musk has additionally modified the way in which that hyperlink previews seem in-stream, with a view to creating X extra of a vacation spot inside itself, versus a distributor for different websites.

However the issue is, if information publishers cease getting traction, and visitors, from X, they’re prone to cease posting there solely, or at least, cut back their exercise.

Which can pose a big downside once you additionally contemplate that 80% of X customers by no means submit or interact within the app. All of X’s content material and engagement comes from simply 20% of its consumer base, with the rest logging on to take a look at what’s occurring and that’s it.

And X is vastly helpful on this respect, as you will get fast summaries of all the most important information tales from all the important thing publishers in your area of interest inside a single stream.

But when they cease posting to X, these viewers would possibly go searching elsewhere for the same expertise.

Conceptually, AI story summaries is an attention-grabbing concept, which additionally underlines Musk’s religion in his xAI mission to ship a greater consumer expertise. However it could not work out as easily in apply.

We’ll discover out both means, X says that every one X Premium subscribers now have entry to those new summaries.