Wikipedia has quietly hit the brakes on its AI-generated summary experiment after a wave of backlash from its own editors. The test—which was supposed to roll out to users with the Wikipedia browser extension—was aimed at delivering quick AI-generated overviews at the top of articles. The goal? Make information more accessible, especially for readers who prefer a TL;DR before diving deep.
Each summary came with a yellow “unverified” tag. Users had to click to read them—probably a smart move, considering how quickly things spiraled.
Why the pushback? Editors weren’t having it. Many feared the summaries could erode trust in the platform. And let’s be real—AI still struggles with something called “hallucinations” (i.e., confidently making things up). That’s already caused headaches for newsrooms like Bloomberg, which had to issue corrections after relying on generative AI for similar summaries.
While Wikipedia has paused the test, it’s not throwing in the towel. The platform has hinted it still sees potential in using AI for accessibility purposes and other less risky applications.
Here’s the bigger picture: The tech world is still figuring out how to blend human-curated knowledge with machine efficiency. But when your entire brand rests on credibility, moving fast and breaking things isn’t always the smartest move.
