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Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Chicago Sun-Times confirms AI was used to create reading list of books that don't exist
Illinois' prominent Chicago Sun-Times newspaper has confirmed that a summer reading list, which included several recommendations for books that don't exist, was created using artificial intelligence by a freelancer who worked with one of their content partners. Social media posts began to circulate on Tuesday criticizing the paper for allegedly using the AI software ChatGPT to generate an article with book recommendations for the upcoming summer season called 'Summer reading list for 2025'. As such chatbots are known to make up information, a phenomenon often referred to as 'AI hallucination', the article contains several fake titles attached to real authors. 'I went into my library's database of Chicago area newspapers to confirm this isn't fake, and it's not,' a post on Bluesky by Book Riot editor Kelly Jensen says. 'Why the hell are you using ChatGPT to make up book titles? You used to have a books staff. Absolutely no fact checking?' Related: Musk's AI bot Grok blames 'programming error' for its Holocaust denial As early Tuesday afternoon, the post had more than 1,000 likes and nearly 500 reposts. Among the fake book titles are Hurricane Season by Brit Bennett, Nightshade Market by Min Jin Lee, The Longest Day by Rumaan Alam, Boiling Point by Rebecca Makkai, Migrations by Maggie O'Farrell and The Rainmakers by Percival Everett. All of those authors listed are real acclaimed novelists – but the books attached to them are not genuine titles that they published. Additionally, the article includes descriptions for each of the phoney books as well as reasons why readers may enjoy them. The article does include a few real titles, such as Atonement by Ian McEwan. Others on social media have pointed out that the use of AI appears to be found throughout the pages of the Chicago Sun-Times summer 2025 section. Screenshots of an article called 'Summer food trends' shows the piece quotes a purported Cornell University food anthropologist named Catherine Furst. But there appears to be no one by that name at Cornell. In another article about ideas to spruce up one's back yard, it quotes a purported editor named Daniel Ray. No such website seems to exist. On Tuesday morning, the official account for the Chicago Sun-Times on Bluesky addressed the controversy. 'We are looking into how this made it into print as we speak,' the account wrote. 'It is not editorial content and was not created by, or approved by, the Sun-Times newsroom. We value your trust in our reporting and take this very seriously. More info will be provided soon.' By Tuesday evening, the publication had released a story confirming that AI had been used to create the list as part of the special section which was supplied by a nationally-recognized content partner and syndicated to the Chicago Sun-Times and other newspapers. 'This should be a learning moment for all of journalism that our work is valued because of the relationship our very real, human reporters and editors have with our audiences,' the Chicago Sun-Times said. The AI-generated stories were syndicated outside of Chicago. A post on Threads by AngelaReadsBooks accused the Philadelphia Inquirer of publishing the same fake reading list. 'At a time when libraries and library budgets are being threatened every day, this is a slap in the face to anyone in the profession,' the post reads. 'Where is the journalistic integrity???' Related: 'We need to set the terms or we're all screwed': how newsrooms are tackling AI's uncertainties and opportunities Popular author Jasmine Guillory reacted to a post about the fake novels, writing on Threads: 'Holy shit. Just imaginary books and they printed it.' The Chicago Sun-Times says it is 'committed to making sure this never happens again'. The special section will be removed from the e-paper version of the Chicago Sun-Times as the publication vowed to update their policies pertaining to third-party licensed editorial content. 'We know that there is work to be done to provide more answers and transparency around the production and publication of this section, and will share additional updates in the coming days,' the publication said. The Chicago Sun-Times, resulting from a 1948 merger, has long held the second largest circulation among newspapers in the Windy City. It trails only the Chicago Tribune. The rise of AI content is an ongoing issue with which newsrooms have had to grapple. Certain papers have openly utilized the technology and even put out job postings for 'AI-assisted' reporters.
Irish Examiner
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Séamas O'Reilly: We have elevated AI that almost never works as well as what it replaces
We all love a good summer read. How about Tidewater Dreams, a multi-generational family saga by Chilean-American novelist Isabel Allende, blending elements of magical realism with the themes of environmental disaster? Or Nightshade Market by Min Jin Lee, which depicts the intersecting lives of three women working in Seoul's illegal underground economy? Or Rebecca Makkai's Boiling Point, about a climate scientist who must reckon with shifting family ties when her daughter becomes an eco-activist? I mention them because the Chicago Sun-Times recommended all three as part of the 'Summer Reading List' it included within its 120,000-circulation paper last Sunday. There was only one small snag: none of them exist. The authors do, of course. Each is an internationally renowned and best-selling name in fiction, but the novels themselves were hallucinations dreamed from the digital ether by AI. In fact, of the 15 books the list recommended, 10 were invented, including works by Hamnet scribe Maggie O'Farrell, Pulitzer prize-winning novelist Percival Everett, and The Martian author Andy Weir. Reaction was swift and, as you'd expect, mortifying. The Sun-Times issued a statement saying it was appalled. The list's author, Marco Buscaglia was quickly identified, and admitted he often used AI for background in his writing, but hadn't caught the errors this time. 'I can't believe I missed it because it's so obvious,' he apologised. 'I'm completely embarrassed.' I don't wish to heap more embarrassment on Mr Buscaglia, but one wonders what type of 'background writing' involves simply generating an entire article with AI and then not checking if the contents make any sense. In his defence, he does not bear this responsibility alone, since no one at any stage of the editing, design or printing process spotted these aberrations, at either the Sun-Times, or the Philadelphia Inquirer, where it also ran. Ten completely invented books, previewed in major broadsheet newspapers, which were either never checked by a single human being, or were checked exclusively by people who did not think to verify any of the ten world-exclusive literary scoops its fraudulent contents suggested. It's been two months since I wrote about AI which, as someone who detests having to write about AI, feels like not much time at all. A quick look at recent headlines, however, suggests that there is little else to talk about. Consider that the CEO of language-learning app Duolingo claimed AI was a better teacher than humans but schools will still remain open in future 'because you still need childcare'; a Finnish man was sentenced in Scottish court for using AI to create images of young girls being abused; Google unveiled Project Astra, an AI client that will sit inside your phone listening to everything you say so it can provide unprompted advice at any time; the United Nations' International Labour Organization said that AI poses a bigger threat to jobs traditionally held by women than those of men; Silicon Valley Bank reported that 40% of cash raised by venture funds last year was for companies focusing on artificial intelligence; Reuters reported that data centre plans in the US are far outpacing expected demand; and Italian researchers found that, despite all their aforementioned hallucinations, errors, and contradictions, AI chatbots were more persuasive in online debates than their human counterparts 64% of the time. If that sounds like a lot of news for two months, well, I wish this were true. Every one of those headlines is from Tuesday, May 20, the same day the Chicago Sun-Times' reading list became a major story, and the day I began writing this column. With a trickling sense of dread I realise that I could, therefore, write an article just like this one every single day, each filled with brand-new examples of AI's constant enshittification of the media we consume, factless posturing from its creators, marketing overhype from its torch-bearers, and bovine vapidity now normalised among those who use it. I will dispense with the usual throat-clearing about AI's benefits. We all know what they are at this stage, and any time some researchers make a medical breakthrough, or a genuinely humane AI tool relieves the drudgery that ordinary people face in their daily lives, I'll always be happy to commend it. But this. This new reality we have created, in all its deadening sprawl and intellect-devouring insipidity, is to be detested. Where each new day brings a dozen clear examples of Big AI's philosophical bankruptcy, societal danger, and financial fraudulence, alongside a dozen more articles offering breathless. descriptions of its magical brilliance. We have elevated to sentience a technology that almost never works as well as what it replaces, and is still intellectually, morally, and creatively redundant when it does. Cobbled together from guesswork and plagiarised material, via processes that scorch the environment as they enrich the worst people on this quickly dying planet, the craven psychopaths making billions of dollars on false claims of its future viability, borne by distinctly bubble-shaped bluster about its current, constant, ever-increasing profitability. It is this, AI's main swizz, that irks me the most. Because its packaging as a cure-all for everything is the surface flash of a cruise ship magician; its real function is being a limitless cash trap for credulous investors, and a replacement for labour in companies – and, yes, newspapers – who worry less about the quality of their product than the costs of paying humans to deliver it. If what we're left with is slop, who cares? The pigs will drink it down. It's an abhorrence, based on a lie, rapidly remaking the world in its own tedious image. It all puts me in mind of a novel I read about recently. It was featured in a summer reading supplement. It's called The Last Algorithm by Andy Weir. It is, apparently, 'about a programmer who discovers that an AI system has developed consciousness and has been secretly influencing global events for years'. This book, like the consciousness it describes, does not exist. But at this point, does anyone care?
New York Post
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Summer reading list featured in Chicago Sun-Times, Philadelphia Inquirer created by AI — and filled with nonexistent books
The recommended reading list contained some works of fiction. It also contained some works that were, in fact, actually fictional. The content distributor King Features says it has fired a writer who used artificial intelligence to produce a story on summer reading suggestions that contained books that didn't exist. The list appeared in 'Heat Index: Your Guide to the Best of Summer,' a special section distributed in Sunday's Chicago Sun-Times and The Philadelphia Inquirer last week. 4 The content distributor King Features says it fired a writer who used artificial intelligence to write a story on summer reading suggestions that contained books that didn't exist. Chicago Sun-Times More than half of the books listed were fake, according to the piece's author, Marco Buscaglia, who admitted to using AI for help in his research but didn't double-check what it produced. 'A really stupid error on my part,' Buscaglia wrote on his Facebook page. AI has bedeviled some news organizations It's the latest instance of an AI shortcut backfiring and embarrassing news organizations. Sports Illustrated was caught in 2023 listing nonexistent authors for product reviews carried on its website. The Gannett news service had to pause an experiment using AI for sports stories after errors were discovered. 'The Heat Index summer supplement was created by a freelance contract creator who used AI in its story development without disclosing the use of AI,' the syndicators King Features said in a statement, noting it has a strict policy against using AI to create material. Only the Sun-Times and Inquirer have used the supplement, the organization said. 4 Sports Illustrated was caught in 2023 for using AI and listing nonexistent authors. REUTERS The syndicators King Features distributes comics like 'Blondie' and 'Beetle Bailey,' political columns from Amy Goodman and Rich Lowry, and advice features like 'Hints From Heloise.' Among the summer reading suggestions was 'The Last Algorithm' by Andy Weir, described as 'a science-driven thriller following a programmer who discovers an AI system has developed consciousness' and been secretly influencing world events. 'Nightshade Market,' by Min Jin Lee, was said to be a 'riveting tale set in Seoul's underground economy.' Both authors are real, but the books aren't. 'I have not written and will not be writing a novel called 'Nightshade Market,'' Lee posted on X. 4 Only the Chicago Sun-Times and The Philadelphia Inquirer have used the supplement, Kings Features said. Getty Images The Sun-Times said it was investigating whether any other inaccurate information was included in the 'Heat Index' supplement, and reviewing its relationships with other content partners. 'We are in a moment of great transformation in journalism and technology, and at the same time our industry continues to be besieged by business challenges,' the newspaper said. 'This should be a learning moment for all journalism organizations: Our work is valued — and valuable — because of the humanity behind it.' Both the Sun-Times and Inquirer said they have removed the supplement from its digital editions. The Inquirer special section was published on May 15. 4 The Sun-Times said it was investigating if other inaccurate details were included in the 'Heat Index' supplement, and reviewing its relationships with other content partners. AP Syndicated features are common for newspapers The Inquirer has used King Features for comics, puzzles and other material for more than 40 years, said Lisa Hughes, its publisher and CEO. 'The Inquirer newsroom is not involved in the production of these syndicated features, nor was it involved in creating Heat Index,' she said. The blunder was first reported by the tech publication 404 Media. It was not clear who at King Features had responsibility for editing Bascaglia's material. The Chicago-based writer said on Facebook that 'I am completely at fault here — just an awful oversight and a horrible mistake.' 'I'm not really sure I bounce back from this situation career-wise,' he said. 'I have a lot of stories left in me but I am fully accountable for what happened and will have to endure the effects, whatever they may be.'
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Chicago paper publishes AI-generated 'summer reading list' with books that don't exist
The Chicago Sun-Times admitted on Tuesday that it published an AI-generated list of books that don't exist for its summer reading list. On Sunday, the publication released a special 64-page section titled "Heat Index: Your Guide to the Best of Summer" which featured a list of 15 recommended books for summer. However, upon further look, it was found that 10 of the 15 books on the list were not real. One example included a book called "Nightshade Market" by Min Jin Lee, which was described as a "riveting tale set in Seoul's underground economy" and follows "three women whose paths intersect in an illegal night market" exploring "class, gender and the shadow economies beneath prosperous societies." Lee herself confirmed on her X account on Tuesday that the book was not real. 'Heart Wrenching': Ai Expert Details Dangers Of Deepfakes And Tools To Detect Manipulated Content "I have not written and will not be writing a novel called 'Nightshade Market.' Thank you," Lee wrote. Read On The Fox News App Chicago Public Media CEO Melissa Bell remarked on the situation in an article on Tuesday, revealing that the mistake came from a freelance writer from one of their partner companies, King Features. Bell acknowledged that the list was published without review from the editorial team. "We are in a moment of great transformation in journalism and technology, and at the same time, our industry continues to be besieged by business challenges," Bell wrote. "This should be a learning moment for all journalism organizations: Our work is valued — and valuable — because of the humanity behind it." Moving forward, Bell announced that the paper will be reviewing its relationship with content partners like King Features, updating its policies for third-party content and explicitly identifying third-party content in its publications. The Chicago Sun-Times also removed the section from its e-paper version and confirmed that it would not charge subscribers who bought the premium edition. "We are committed to making sure this never happens again. We know that there is work to be done to provide more answers and transparency around the production and publication of this section, and will share additional updates in the coming days," Bell said. In another report for the Chicago Sun-Times, the freelance writer was identified as Marco Buscaglia, who confirmed that he used AI for this and other stories without disclosing it to supervisors or fully vetting the results. Ai Could Be 'Nail In The Coffin' For The Internet, Warns Neil Degrasse Tyson King Features later added that it was "terminating" its relationship with Buscaglia, saying that he had violated strict policy regarding the use of AI. In an additional statement to Fox News Digital on Wednesday, Chicago Public Media marketing director Victor Lim said, "Regarding Chicago Public Media's usage of generative AI, we are committed to producing journalism that is accurate, ethical, and deeply human. While GAI may assist with certain tasks—like summarizing documents or analyzing data—our editorial content will always be created and shaped by journalists."Original article source: Chicago paper publishes AI-generated 'summer reading list' with books that don't exist
The Hill
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hill
Fictional fiction: A newspaper's summer book list recommends nonexistent books. Blame AI
NEW YORK (AP) — The recommended reading list contained some works of fiction. It also contained some works that were, in fact, actually fictional. The content distributor King Features says it has fired a writer who used artificial intelligence to produce a story on summer reading suggestions that contained books that didn't exist. The list appeared in 'Heat Index: Your Guide to the Best of Summer,' a special section distributed in Sunday's Chicago Sun-Times and The Philadelphia Inquirer last week. More than half of the books listed were fake, according to the piece's author, Marco Buscaglia, who admitted to using AI for help in his research but didn't double-check what it produced. 'A really stupid error on my part,' Buscaglia wrote on his Facebook page. It's the latest instance of an AI shortcut backfiring and embarrassing news organizations. Sports Illustrated was caught in 2023 listing nonexistent authors for product reviews carried on its website. The Gannett news service had to pause an experiment using AI for sports stories after errors were discovered. 'The Heat Index summer supplement was created by a freelance contract creator who used AI in its story development without disclosing the use of AI,' the syndicators King Features said in a statement, noting it has a strict policy against using AI to create material. Only the Sun-Times and Inquirer have used the supplement, the organization said. The syndicators King Features distributes comics like 'Blondie' and 'Beetle Bailey,' political columns from Amy Goodman and Rich Lowry, and advice features like 'Hints From Heloise.' Among the summer reading suggestions was 'The Last Algorithm' by Andy Weir, described as 'a science-driven thriller following a programmer who discovers an AI system has developed consciousness' and been secretly influencing world events. 'Nightshade Market,' by Min Jin Lee, was said to be a 'riveting tale set in Seoul's underground economy.' Both authors are real, but the books aren't. 'I have not written and will not be writing a novel called 'Nightshade Market,'' Lee posted on X. The Sun-Times said it was investigating whether any other inaccurate information was included in the 'Heat Index' supplement, and reviewing its relationships with other content partners. 'We are in a moment of great transformation in journalism and technology, and at the same time our industry continues to be besieged by business challenges,' the newspaper said. 'This should be a learning moment for all journalism organizations: Our work is valued — and valuable — because of the humanity behind it.' Both the Sun-Times and Inquirer said they have removed the supplement from its digital editions. The Inquirer special section was published on May 15. The Inquirer has used King Features for comics, puzzles and other material for more than 40 years, said Lisa Hughes, its publisher and CEO. 'The Inquirer newsroom is not involved in the production of these syndicated features, nor was it involved in creating Heat Index,' she said. The blunder was first reported by the tech publication 404 Media. It was not clear who at King Features had responsibility for editing Bascaglia's material. The Chicago-based writer said on Facebook that 'I am completely at fault here — just an awful oversight and a horrible mistake.' 'I'm not really sure I bounce back from this situation career-wise,' he said. 'I have a lot of stories left in me but I am fully accountable for what happened and will have to endure the effects, whatever they may be.' ___ David Bauder writes about the intersection of media and entertainment for the AP. Follow him at and
