Recently, the once-respected business publication Quartz, after a controversial AI content overhaul, saw nearly its entire editorial team laid off and was sold to Canadian software company Redbrick. In a blog post, Quartz co-founder Zach Seward noted that this latest change of ownership, since its founding in 2012, highlights the turbulent state of the media industry.

Last year, Quartz was acquired by digital media giant G/O Media, a period marked by management decisions that drew criticism. G/O Media CEO Jim Spanfeller even misspelled Quartz as "quarts" in the acquisition announcement. Now, G/O Media has sold Quartz and its e-commerce site, The Inventory, to Redbrick for an undisclosed sum, laying off nearly all editorial staff except the editor-in-chief and managing editor.

Seward described Quartz as a "zombie brand" in his blog post, expressing regret while acknowledging the presence of talented remaining employees. G/O Media's recent actions show a pattern of selling off brands over the past year, including Jezebel and Lifehacker, leaving only Kotaku and The Root.

Of particular concern is G/O Media's repeated attempts to use AI-generated content before selling Quartz. Lacking quality control, this AI content often contained errors and misinformation, sparking public backlash. Gizmodo, for example, published inaccurate AI-generated lists about Star Wars, while Deadspin and A.V. Club also released inaccurate AI-generated content.

Before the layoffs, Quartz's editorial team had begun using AI to generate financial reports and press releases, often citing other AI-generated information, leading to widespread inaccuracies. Redbrick's CEO stated that in the rapidly changing media landscape, businesses must embrace innovation to connect with their audience.

While Redbrick's plans remain unclear, this upheaval casts a significant shadow over Quartz's future.

Key Points:

🌐 G/O Media sold Quartz and its e-commerce site to Canadian company Redbrick, laying off almost the entire editorial staff.

📰 Before the sale, Quartz experimented with AI-generated content, resulting in public criticism and factual errors.

📉 The media industry is undergoing significant upheaval, with G/O Media selling multiple brands in a year, leaving only two websites remaining.