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The internet is rife with fake reviews. Will AI make it worse? WSOC TV [Video]

The emergence of generative artificial intelligence tools that allow people to efficiently produce novel and detailed online reviews with almost no work has put merchants, service providers and consumers in uncharted territory, watchdog groups and researchers say.

Phony reviews have long plagued many popular consumer websites, such as Amazon and Yelp. They are typically traded on private social media groups between fake review brokers and businesses willing to pay. Sometimes, such reviews are initiated by businesses that offer customers incentives such as gift cards for positive feedback.

But AI-infused text generation tools, popularized by OpenAI’s ChatGPT, enable fraudsters to produce reviews faster and in greater volume, according to tech industry experts.

The deceptive practice, which is illegal in the U.S., is carried out year-round but becomes a bigger problem for consumers during the holiday shopping season, when many people rely on reviews to help them purchase gifts.

Where are AI-generated reviews showing up?

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Neighbors react to Plattsburgh man charged in the deaths of missing mother and daughter [Video]

TONIGHT... A NORTHERN NEW YORK MAN IS IN JAIL. ACCUSED OF MURDERING TWO WOMEN. IN A PLATTSBURGH NEIGHBORHOO D. 50-YEAR-OLD JOE HEWETT IS ACCUSED OF KILLING THE MOTHER AND DAUGHTER WHO WERE REPORTED MISSING LAST THURSDAY. POLICE SAY HE'S THE BOYFRIEND OF ONE OF THE VICTIMS. THEIR DEATHS ARE BOTH BEING RULED AS HOMICIDES. NBC 5'S BENNY NEZAJ HAS BEEN FOLLOWING THIS CASE FOR DAYS. HE JOINS US FROM OUR PLATTSBURGH STUDIO WITH THE VERY LATEST. BENNY... BRIAN AND LIZ - JOE HEWETT WAS ARRAIGNED LAST NIGHT FOR HIS ALLEGED INVOLVEMENT IN THE DEATHS OF 42-YEAR-OLD MIRANDA WADE AND 62-YEAR-OLD KAREN LINDSAY. BUT NEIGHBORS OF THE VICTIMS ARE STILL FEELING THE IMPACT OF THIS TRAGEDY. BARBARA BLAKE NEIGHBOR 06;19;40;27 - 06;19;43;23 "I'm very shocked. Very surprised." BARBARA BLAKE LIVES ACROSS THE STREET FROM 2 BIRCH STREET - where KAREN LINDSAY AND and her daughter MIRANDA WADE lived. BLAKE SAYS SHE GAVE WADE A RIDE ONE TIME THROUGH HER TAXI BUSINESS. WHILE THEIR INTERACTIONS WERE LIMITED, SHE PROMISED TO ALWAYS BE THERE FOR HER BARBARA BLAKE/ NEIGHBOR 06;24;23;18 - 06;24;35;18 "You're sweet person. If you ever need anything, come to my house. You ever need a ride? Call me. I'll be there within a few minutes. It takes me 5 to 10 minutes to get to any person that calls me. I said I'll help you any which way." the two women had not been seen since early December when loved ones reported them missing on December 12th. state police learned there was a fire at Wade and Lindsay's mobile home on Sunday. THEIR REMAINS were FOUND ON MONDAY IN THE SURROUNDING AREA. CLINTON COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY ANDREW WYLIE SAYS INVESTIGATORS BELIEVE BOTH WOMEN DIED ON DECEMBER 5TH. Wylie CALLS THE NATURE OF THEIR DEATHS UNPRECEDENTED. ANDREW WYLIE/ DISTRICT ATTORNEY, CLINTON COUNTY 19;58;14;13- 19;58;23;13 wylie an autopsy report says WADE died from BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA AND LINDSAY was strangled TO DEATH. authorities found their BODIES IN BLACK GARBAGE BAGS. ANDREW WYLIE DISTRICT ATTORNEY, CLINTON COUNTY 19;51;55;23 - 19;52;10;27 "A lot of times in these cases, it's domestic related. We haven't been able to finalize domestic related." BUT AS THE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES TO UNFOLD, BLAKE'S THOUGHTS ARE WITH THE VICTIM'S FAMILIES. BARBARA BLAKE NEIGHBOR 06;26;58;01 - 06;27;10;28 "I want the family to have all the healing and the right that they need help. Reach out to somebody. Don't go doing something stupid yourself because you're depressed because of this. Please go get help. There's help out there." Hewett is expected to appear in COURT again ON JANUARY 7TH. the case is expected to be handed over to a grand jury next month. LIVE IN THE PLATTSBURGH STUDIO. BENNY NEZAJ. NBC5 NEWS THERE WILL BE A COMMUNITY GATHERING AND VIGIL THIS FRIDAY. AT THE WILLSBORO TOWN HALL. TO HONOR WADE AND LINDSA