Wikipedia explores AI-powered knowledge access with the ChatGPT plugin. Here’s how

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Wikimedia Foundation's Annual Plan, the data platform is exploring new methods to facilitate the connection between readers and editors in order to enhance access to free knowledge on Wikipedia, in support of the existing machine learning tools utilized by volunteer contributors. In an exclusive conversation, Chris Albon, Director of Machine Learning, Wikimedia Foundation, says, “Wikipedia is currently experimenting with new ways to meet people’s knowledge needs in responsible ways including with generative AI platforms.

However, it will continue to keep humans at the center." Recently, Wikipedia has rolled out an experimental plug-in tailored for ChatGPT. This plug-in enables ChatGPT to conduct searches and provide concise summaries of the latest Wikipedia information in response to general knowledge queries, all while ensuring proper attribution and citation.

Albon added, “With this experiment, the company hopes to understand how readers will engage with Wikipedia through the use of an AI assistant, whether these users would be interested in becoming contributors to help sustain our projects, and what the quality of the output is when an AI assistant interacts with Wikipedia content." When asked if AI could completely replace humans in writing Wikipedia articles, Albon responded that while current AI tools can summarize existing knowledge, they are unable to participate in the discussions and dialogues that Wikipedia contributors often engage in regarding subjects like verifiability, notability, and neutrality when creating content on Wikipedia. Albon stated, “We believe that AI works best as an augmentation for the work that humans do on Wikipedia and other Wikimedia platforms.