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Boston Globe
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Major newspapers ran a summer reading list. AI made up its book titles.
Advertisement Many pointed out quotes attributed to experts and professors who don't seem to exist, or at least don't have a significant online presence. Similarly, some pieces in the package featured quotes that social media sleuths said could not be found online — such as one from Brianna Madia, the author of a van-life book called 'Nowhere for Very Long,' talking about hammock culture to Outside Magazine in 2023. Interviews she did with the magazine in 2019 and 2017 did not feature any discussion on hammocks, and she does not appear in any of the magazine's 2023 stories online. The section's 'Summer reading list for 2025' recommended not only fake books such as 'Tidewater Dreams' by Isabel Allende and 'The Last Algorithm' by Andy Weir, but also imaginary titles from authors Brit Bennett, Taylor Jenkins Reid, Min Jin Lee, and Rebecca Makkai. (The list does feature some real books, including Françoise Sagan's 'Bonjour Tristesse' and André Aciman's 'Call Me by Your Name.') Advertisement 'It is unacceptable for any content we provide to our readers to be inaccurate. We value our readers' trust in our reporting and take this very seriously,' Victor Lim, senior director of audience development for Chicago Public Media, said in a statement. 'We've historically relied on content partners for this information, but given recent developments, it's clear we must actively evaluate new processes and partnerships to ensure we continue meeting the full range of our readers' needs,' he added. Lisa Hughes, the publisher and CEO of the Philadelphia Inquirer, said the special section was removed from the e-edition after the discovery was made. 'Using artificial intelligence to produce content, as was apparently the case with some of the Heat Index material, is a violation of our own internal policies and a serious breach,' she said in a statement to The Washington Post. Much of the content for the section was written by Marco Buscaglia, a Chicago-based freelance writer who used AI chatbots during the writing process, he told The Post in an interview Tuesday. Buscaglia said the insert, which he began writing in February with a March deadline, wasn't written with any specific cities in mind, and he didn't know which newspapers would run it. Buscaglia said there was 'no excuse' for not double-checking his work. When he started writing the recommended books list, Buscaglia said, he considered looking at Goodreads or calling local bookstores for recommendations. But instead, he asked AI chatbots for help. (Buscaglia said he was unsure which chatbot he used, though he said it was either ChatGPT or Claude.) Advertisement 'I'm very responsible about it. I do check things out, but in this case, I mean, I totally missed it,' he said about using AI in his reporting. 'I feel like, if given the opportunity, I would approach these things differently and have a lot, you know, obviously better set of filters.' 'I do feel that it also misrepresents the Sun-Times, the Philadelphia Inquirer,' he said, adding: 'I feel bad about that, too - that the papers somehow [get] associated with that.' The misstep comes as the media industry wrestles with the advent of AI. Large language models and AI chatbots don't always search the web for information, relying on preinstalled knowledge, which can lead them to spit out incorrect or misleading information. Critics have said that newspapers that use AI tools risk exposing readers to low-quality reporting and misinformation, contributing to a rising mistrust of journalism.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Gate fatalities spur new federal legislation
The Alex Gate Safety Act is bipartisan legislation to create and enforce a consumer product safety standard for large and potentially hazardous gates often installed in residential, commercial and recreational settings. 'Simple and affordable safety mechanisms can prevent tragic accidents caused by poorly designed or maintained gates. We've seen the devastating impact of these preventable incidents, such as the tragic death of 7-year-old Alex Quanbeck, who was crushed by a falling gate, and the death of Esther Nakajjigo at Arches National Park,' said Sen. John Curtis, R-Utah. 'By codifying industry standards, our Alex Gate Safety Act will save lives and prevent needless heartbreak.' Curtis, along with Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., introduced the act Monday. In 2019, Alex Quanbeck was playing football with friends during recess when he attempted to close the schoolyard gate to stop the ball from rolling away. However, as he pushed the gate closed, it detached from its supporting hardware and collapsed on him — an accident which could have been prevented had the gate been equipped with a simple safety feature that costs no more than $50. The next year, Esther 'Essie' Nakajjigo was killed by an unsecured gate at Arches National Park during a camping trip. A strong wind blew the metal gate into her car, decapitating Nakajjigo. Outside Magazine reported that Nakajjigo was a 25-year-old Ugandan human rights activist. Her family was awarded $10 million from the federal government, the largest federal wrongful death award in Utah history. Consumer advocates, industry professionals, independent experts and standards organizations came together to update the voluntary industry standards. Specifically, the Alex Gate Safety Act would: Direct the Consumer Product Safety Commission to issue a consumer product safety standard for vehicular and large gates within one year of enactment. Allow the commission to modify standards if it determines that a modification would further reduce the risk of injury associated with covered gates. Launch a national campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of covered gates, including those that detach or fall. The Alex Gate Safety Act is supported by The Hummingbird Alliance, a nonprofit organization founded by Alex Quanbeck's parents; the American Fence Association; the Door & Access Systems Manufacturers Association; and ASTM International. 'The true tragedy in our son Alex's death is that it was preventable, and today we honor his memory by advancing bipartisan, commonsense legislation to protect Americans from falling gates like the one that collapsed on him,' said Dayna and Eric Quanbeck, the parents of young Alex and co-founders of The Hummingbird Alliance. 'The American Fence Association has worked with industry partners on gate safety standards for over twenty years,' said Michael Reed, executive director of the American Fence Association. 'The Alex Gate Safety Act of 2025 reflects many of these life-saving standards. We thank Sen Curtis and Sen. Klobuchar for introducing such important legislation, which will be to the benefit of all Americans.'
