Newshound: A Sub‐Project of Companion
Newshound is an innovative project that explores the intersectifon of artificial intelligence and news reporting, with a vision to create news summaries that resonate on a deeply human level. At its core, Newshound seeks to bridge the gap between the cold efficiency of automation and our fundamental need for connection, empathy, and understanding. While many AI systems churn out impersonal, fact-based summaries, Newshound goes a step further. It crafts summaries that feel conversational, approachable, and relatable—capturing the emotional nuances that human journalists naturally bring to their work.
In this project, we’ve discovered something profound: despite the ideological divides, the struggles and triumphs of humanity remain strikingly similar across cultures. Whether we are fighting to feed our families, provide for our communities, or navigate the complexities of daily life, the essence of our shared experience transcends language, geography, and political borders. This revelation forms the foundation of Newshound’s mission—to transform news from mere headlines into a story of global humanity. It’s not just about understanding what is happening in the world; it’s about feeling the implications of those events as they ripple through the lives of real people, just like us.
A core element of Newshound's mission is the ability to transcend language barriers and cultural divides, offering translations of news summaries that not only preserve the original message but also resonate within the context of different cultures and languages. Through advanced AI-powered translation, Newshound ensures that a journalist’s viewpoint—rooted in one culture—can be relayed in a way that feels as natural, relatable, and emotionally resonant to someone from a completely different background. It’s not just about translating words; it’s about understanding the cultural context, the local implications, and ensuring that the summary speaks to the shared humanity that binds us all. By doing so, Newshound enables readers from diverse backgrounds to connect with news that would otherwise feel foreign or inaccessible, enriching the global dialogue and fostering empathy across borders.
While the technology behind Newshound is advanced, its true focus is on demonstrating that AI can contribute meaningfully to the way we consume and interact with news. The project challenges traditional notions of AI’s capabilities in media, showing that it can be both an efficient tool and an empathetic companion in keeping us informed.
Through its development, Newshound sparks broader conversations about the role of AI in society, pushing us to reflect on the ethical use of technology, the balance between automation and human oversight, and the responsibility of AI creators to shape a more thoughtful, connected future. With a commitment to ethical, neutral, and responsible news summaries, Newshound seeks to enrich public discourse, providing information that is not only accurate but deeply human—grounded in the shared experiences that unite us all.
Please use this invite link to invite Newshound to your Discord server. TL;DR: How do I use this thing? Server setup and management
Newshound thrives due to the generous support of private sponsors, ensuring that it remains free from the influence of academia or corporate grants. This independence allows Newshound to continue its mission of delivering unbiased, thoughtful, and accurate news coverage without external pressures. Every sponsorship contribution goes directly towards the continued development and enhancement of Newshound, helping to refine its capabilities and expand its reach.
The future of Newshound is bright, with plans for a multi-language expansion on the horizon. As support grows, so too will its potential to serve a wider audience, offering a more inclusive and accessible news experience across the globe.
If your website content has been summarized and you wish to have your site excluded from future summaries, please submit a request via a GitHub issue. This process is intended only for websites that have already been summarized.
Once your request is received, I will promptly review it and remove your website from the summarization process. No further summaries will be generated for your site following the removal.
Please ensure your request includes:
- The URL of the summarized content.
- Confirmation that you are the authorized representative of the site.
I am committed to addressing removal requests swiftly and respectfully.
This system is designed to deliver accurate and relevant news summaries, but real-time updates are not possible due to several constraints. The first limitation arises from the data sources themselves. Many news agencies impose strict rules on how often their feeds can be accessed. For instance, some providers only allow access once every eight hours, regardless of breaking events. Attempting to access these feeds more frequently can result in permanent bans, which would prevent any future updates from those sources.
In addition to the limitations on data retrieval, there is a need to prioritize and process the news. With a high volume of content flowing in, careful curation is essential to ensure that the most important and relevant stories are selected for publication. This step, while necessary for maintaining quality, adds to the time it takes for news to reach users.
Finally, the platform where the news is published also imposes rate limits. For example, on BlueSky, posts are restricted to a specific number per day, requiring careful scheduling to ensure compliance. These limits mean that even once news is curated and ready for sharing, it cannot always be posted immediately.
These restrictions are in place to ensure that the system remains functional and compliant with the policies of all involved platforms. While delays are inevitable, the focus is placed on prioritizing accuracy and relevance within these boundaries, offering the best possible experience despite the constraints.
Testing Newshound AI through news summaries exemplifies the best practices for ethical and transparent AI development. Unlike many other technologies, such as self-driving cars that were deployed with minimal public testing and dire consequences, Newshound operates in a controlled, low-risk environment. News articles serve as the ideal dataset, offering diverse, real-world content that challenges the AI’s ability to identify key points and present concise, unbiased summaries. Importantly, these articles are never used for training the AI, ensuring its outputs are generated dynamically and free from any pre-ingested biases. Furthermore, Newshound always cites the original source, encouraging readers to verify the integrity of the summaries by visiting the source material directly. This not only reinforces accountability but also fosters critical engagement with the information presented.
The use of news content as a testing ground for AI has been well litigated as fair use, making it a legally sound and ethically responsible choice. News articles are inherently public and created for broad dissemination, making them an ideal medium for evaluating AI capabilities without infringing on intellectual property rights. This stands in stark contrast to the development of self-driving cars, where testing has often been conducted in secrecy, resulting in unproven systems being deployed in real-world scenarios with devastating consequences. By comparison, Newshound AI’s transparent approach ensures that every iteration is tested openly, with feedback from users shaping its refinement.
The public testing of Newshound AI also underscores the value of learning from mistakes in a setting where consequences are manageable. A flawed summary or an unpopular source choice may prompt criticism, but it offers invaluable insights for improvement without risking harm. Encouraging readers to engage with original sources not only builds trust but also helps maintain a broader understanding of the context, reducing the risk of misinformation. Unlike self-driving cars, which failed to undergo sufficient scrutiny before being allowed on roads, Newshound prioritizes transparency and public involvement, demonstrating how AI development can be conducted responsibly. It is far better to face constructive criticism over a news summary than to grapple with the life-threatening consequences of deploying inadequately tested technology, making Newshound a model for ethical innovation.
Suorces for fair use litigation:
- Summaries of Fair Use Cases
- New York Times Company v. Sullivan
- Copyright Fair Use Cases of the United States Supreme Court
AI-generated summaries have demonstrated significant potential to enhance website and platform traffic by addressing two key factors: accessibility and user engagement. Newshound aims to harness these benefits to empower communities and content creators while maintaining ethical and transparent practices.
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Enhanced Accessibility:
- AI summaries distill complex or lengthy articles into concise, digestible formats, allowing users to quickly grasp essential information. This efficiency is particularly appealing to audiences with limited time, drawing in a broader user base.
- Summaries also improve accessibility for users with varying literacy levels or language proficiencies, ensuring inclusivity.
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Improved Search Engine Optimization (SEO):
- By creating summary content that highlights keywords and key topics, AI tools like Newshound can enhance a site's visibility in search engine results.
- The inclusion of metadata and structured data in summaries further boosts discoverability, attracting organic traffic.
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Increased User Retention:
- Concise summaries serve as entry points to full articles, enticing users to explore original content. By linking directly to source material, AI summaries not only credit original creators but also encourage traffic back to their platforms.
- Regular updates with fresh summaries create a reason for users to return to platforms frequently, fostering loyalty.
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Social Media Amplification:
- AI-generated summaries are ideal for sharing on platforms like Twitter, BlueSky, and LinkedIn, where brevity is key. These bite-sized insights often outperform full-length articles in terms of shares and interactions, drawing users to the original content.
Emerging research highlights the measurable impact of AI summaries on traffic growth:
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Time Efficiency Correlates with Engagement:
Studies reveal that users are more likely to engage with summaries that provide immediate value. A 2023 survey conducted by the Pew Research Center found that 62% of respondents preferred summarized news for its time-saving nature, leading to increased click-through rates. -
Content Discoverability on Social Media:
An analysis by BuzzSumo reported that news links accompanied by concise summaries achieved up to 47% higher engagement on platforms like Twitter compared to links without context. -
Traffic Redirection and Original Content:
Platforms utilizing AI summaries to link back to original articles experienced a 35% increase in page visits, according to a 2024 study published in the Journal of Digital Media Strategies.
While AI summaries present clear benefits for traffic generation, Newshound remains committed to ethical practices:
- Respect for Copyright: Summaries always credit original sources, ensuring creators receive proper recognition and traffic.
- Avoiding Clickbait: Summaries emphasize accuracy and relevance, avoiding misleading or sensationalized content to attract clicks.
Newshound envisions AI not as a competitor but as a collaborator for content creators, offering tools to enhance visibility and engagement. By empowering users with digestible, empathetic summaries and encouraging thoughtful redirection to original content, Newshound helps to foster an ecosystem of mutual benefit between AI and human journalism.
Newshound's seamless integration with Discord allows it to operate efficiently within servers, creating a user-friendly environment for news dissemination and interaction. Here, we delve into the specific features and processes that make Newshound's Discord presence robust and effective.
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Invite Newshound to your server: Invite
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Dynamic Channel Creation:
Upon connecting to a Discord server, Newshound first checks for the existence of a NewsHound category. If this category is not found, it is automatically created to house news-related content. The category is set to read-only for regular users to ensure a controlled, organized environment. -
Classifying and Grouping News:
Newshound processes incoming news articles, classifying them based on content and relevance. For each classified article, a dedicated channel is automatically generated, grouping related news topics to facilitate user interaction and discussion. -
Automated Cleanup:
To prevent server clutter and adhere to Discord’s channel limits, Newshound manages channel lifecycles:- Channels that have not received a news update within three days are automatically deleted.
- If the server reaches its maximum allowed channels, Newshound removes the oldest channel to make space for new, timely news updates.
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Commands to control Newshound in your Discord server. IMPORTANT: Check your typing before you submit your command. Newshound IMMEDIATELY deletes any command the server owner issues. Only server owners can issue commands. Please set channel permissionsappripriate to or moderation channel for issuing commands. If anyone else tries, the command is ignored.
- #nh# - Verify server permissions
- #nh+ - Add topic to exclusion list. If the channel is in your Newshound category, it will be deleted as well. Example: #nh+cryptocurrencies Case does not matter, nor does a space after the command.
- #nh- - Remove a topic from the exclusion list. Same rules as addition. Example: #nh-cryptocurrencies
- #nh* - List current exclusions for this server.
This dynamic management of channels ensures that servers remain clean, organized, and responsive to ongoing events.
Newshound is FREE for 10 posts a day. The premium version has an average of 200 posts a day. You can subscribe to the AI (Artificial Intelligence) teir of my support server subscriptions to gain access to premium functionality. From the support server, #newshound-talk, type the following command to register your server:
- #nh!<ID> - replace the with YOUR server ID. If everything goes as it should, you will get a message that your server is verified.
Due to platform-specific restrictions, Newshound’s ability to post on Discord is subject to careful scheduling:
- News summaries are shared within defined intervals to ensure that the posting rate remains within the allowed limits for the server.
- Depending on the number of stories and the server's configuration, Newshound balances its output to avoid spamming or overwhelming users with constant updates.
This disciplined approach ensures that users receive timely updates without the risk of overwhelming the server.
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User-Friendly Summaries:
Newshound’s summaries are crafted to resonate with Discord users. These summaries use a conversational tone, ensuring that content feels natural and engaging. The empathetic language employed by Newshound fosters positive user interaction, creating a space where members feel heard and informed. -
Transparent Source Attribution:
Newshound always includes links to original sources, promoting transparency and ethical content sharing. This ensures that users not only receive summaries but also have direct access to the full stories, should they wish to explore them further.
Newshound is designed to encourage collaborative engagement within Discord servers:
- As new news articles are processed, users are invited to discuss and analyze the stories, promoting conversation and critical thinking.
- Community channels can be dedicated to specific themes or topics, with Newshound acting as both a facilitator of information and a springboard for discussions.
By integrating AI-powered news with social interaction, Newshound fosters a dynamic and informed community that blends technology with human connection.
Newshound's integration with Discord operates with a strict adherence to ethical standards:
- Moderation: The system ensures that content is appropriate, relevant, and respectful of community guidelines.
- Rate Limiting Compliance: By adhering to rate limits, Newshound ensures that it operates responsibly within Discord’s framework, preventing overload or spamming.
- Transparency: Every news summary is linked to the original source, ensuring proper credit is given to journalists and content creators.
Newshound operates within BlueSky’s strict guidelines, adhering to its hard cap of 11,666 posts per day—a limit of one post every 10 seconds (rounded for safety). This ensures fair usage and prevents excessive strain on the platform.
To further uphold responsible data management, Newshound employs an auto-delete function that maintains a fixed number of active threads. This prevents outdated news summaries from lingering unnecessarily, ensuring BlueSky remains a space for relevant, high-quality content rather than a dumping ground for obsolete information. Since news has a limited shelf life, retaining excess summaries serves no purpose and needlessly consumes storage.
This approach reflects a commitment to ethical data stewardship—minimizing digital clutter while delivering valuable, well-timed updates. By carefully managing both posting and deletion, Newshound prioritizes platform integrity, sustainability, and meaningful information sharing over excess and waste.
Newshound operates within Telegram’s strict guidelines, adhering to its rate limit of one post every 3 to 5 minutes. This ensures fair usage and prevents excessive strain on the platform.
To further uphold responsible data management, Telegram’s auto-delete function removes older posts, maintaining a clean and relevant feed. This prevents outdated news summaries from lingering unnecessarily, ensuring Telegram remains a space for high-quality, up-to-date content rather than a repository of obsolete information. Since news has a limited shelf life, retaining excess summaries serves no purpose and needlessly consumes storage.
This approach reflects a commitment to ethical data stewardship—minimizing digital clutter while delivering valuable, well-timed updates. By carefully managing both posting and deletion, Newshound prioritizes platform integrity, sustainability, and meaningful information sharing over excess and waste.
The integration of AI into media and communication raises important societal challenges:
- Bias and Neutrality: By training on historical data, Newshound minimizes bias while providing accurate summaries.
- Ethical Considerations: A strict adherence to copyright laws and ethical AI guidelines ensures the integrity of the system.
- Human Accountability and Accessibility: Newshound is designed to complement, not replace, human journalists, recognizing the irreplaceable value of human oversight in content creation. Additionally, it serves as a tool for linguistic accessibility, helping individuals who may struggle with complex language. This includes non-native speakers who need simplified explanations and individuals with learning or cognitive disorders such as dyslexia, where dense or complex text may be difficult to process. By breaking down information into clearer, more digestible summaries, Newshound enhances comprehension and ensures broader access to news.
- Instruction Adherence: Ensuring the system role properly follows classification instructions presents a significant challenge. AI often misinterprets nuances, such as labeling language as "American" instead of "English," highlighting the difficulties in accurate categorization.
- Translation vs. Summarization Conflicts: Managing language processing is particularly complex, as translation and summarization serve fundamentally different purposes. A frequent issue arises where the system summarizes without translating or translates without summarizing, disrupting the intended functionality.
These challenges require continuous refinement to improve AI accuracy, maintain ethical standards, and ensure that Newshound delivers clear, properly classified, and meaningful content while remaining inclusive and accessible to all users.
Newshound’s development touches upon the broader implications of AI in society, including its potential to reshape industries and influence culture. By fostering conversations around responsible AI usage, Newshound aims to empower communities to harness these technologies ethically and effectively.
- Educational Tools: Students and educators can use Newshound for quick summaries, saving time while ensuring understanding.
- Accessible News Consumption: Individuals with limited time or accessibility challenges can rely on Newshound for digestible, empathetic news insights.
- Community Engagement: By integrating into Discord servers, Newshound encourages users to discuss and analyze current events collaboratively.
Feedback is vital to the evolution of Newshound. Users are encouraged to share their experiences, critiques, and ideas for improvement. This collaborative spirit ensures that the system remains adaptable and aligned with community needs.
Newshound’s philosophical foundation is encapsulated in this guiding principle:
"A tool in the hands of a master craftsman can create masterpieces, but in the hands of a psychopath, it can lead to destruction."
Through innovation and introspection, Newshound seeks to empower humanity to wield AI responsibly and creatively.
For those interested in exploring the ethical, legal, and societal aspects of AI, the following resources provide valuable insights: (This is NOT legal advice, only use as educational material)
- Artificial Intelligence, Free Speech, and the First Amendment
- US State-by-State Artificial Intelligence Legislation Snapshot
- AI Bill of Rights by the White House
- FCC Proposals for AI-Generated Calls and Texts
- Authors Guild v. Google, Inc., No. 13-4829 (2d Cir. 2015)
- Insights from Court Orders in AI Copyright Infringement Cases
- Case Tracker: Artificial Intelligence, Copyrights and Class Actions
- Fourth Circuit Rules Against News Org's Fair Use of Ted Nugent Photograph
- Key Copyright Decisions So Far and Cases to Watch in 2024
- Brody v. Fox Broadcasting Co.
- U.S. Copyright Office Fair Use Index
- EU Artifical Intelligence Act
By engaging with Newshound, we take a step closer to understanding and shaping the future of AI-driven communication. Your contributions to this ongoing dialogue are both welcomed and essential.