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Arabian Post
25-05-2025
- Business
- Arabian Post
AI Missteps Erode Trust in Newsrooms
Major news organisations are grappling with the fallout from deploying artificial intelligence in content creation, as instances of fabricated material and misattributed authorship surface, raising concerns over journalistic integrity. The Chicago Sun-Times and The Philadelphia Inquirer faced backlash after publishing a summer reading list featuring non-existent books and fictitious expert quotes. The content, syndicated by King Features and crafted by freelance writer Marco Buscaglia using AI tools, included fabricated titles like 'Tidewater Dreams' by Isabel Allende. Both newspapers have since removed the content and issued statements condemning the breach of editorial standards. Similarly, Sports Illustrated encountered criticism for publishing articles under fake author names, with AI-generated headshots and biographies. The Arena Group, its publisher, attributed the content to third-party provider AdVon Commerce, asserting that the articles were human-written but acknowledging the use of pseudonyms. The controversy led to the dismissal of CEO Ross Levinsohn and mass layoffs, following the revocation of the magazine's publishing license.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Chicago Sun-Times Sunday insert contains 10 AI-generated fake books in summer reading list
A special section inserted into the Sunday Chicago Sun-Times featured page upon page of fun summer activities, including a list of 15 books to bring along while lounging by the pool or relaxing in a favorite reading spot. The only problem: The authors are real, but most of the books don't exist. Artificial intelligence, employed by a Chicago freelance writer, simply made them up. Readers looking to fill their carts with titles such as 'Tidewater Dreams' by Isabel Allende, 'The Collector's Piece' by Taylor Jenkins Reid or 'Hurricane Season' by Brit Bennett were likely disappointed to find the elaborate plot summaries were themselves fictionalized. Several news reports and a wave of social media backlash to the fake books followed, creating an early summer storm for the Sun-Times, which released a statement Tuesday. 'We are looking into how this made it into print as we speak,' the Sun-Times said. 'This is licensed content that was not created by, or approved by, the Sun-Times newsroom, but 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.' The 64-page full-color Sunday insert, 'Heat Index,' is a summer entertainment guide featuring stories about everything from outdoor cooking and camping tips to '8 unforgettable summer drives across America.' The summer reading list contains 10 fictional fiction titles, including 'The Rainmakers' by Percival Everett, described as a near-future story set in the American West where 'artificially induced rain has become a luxury commodity,' leading a 'precipitation broker' to question the ethics of his profession. Another fake book, 'The Last Algorithm' by Andy Weir, is described as the latest science fiction thriller from the author of 'The Martian' that 'follows a programmer who discovers that an AI system has developed consciousness — and has been secretly influencing global events for years.' In a 'Matrix'-like paradox, artificial intelligence played a key role in putting together the fake book list. Veteran Chicago freelancer Marco Buscaglia, who wrote the entire 'Heat Index' section for King Features, a syndicated newspaper content producer owned by Hearst, said he used AI to compile the summer reading list. He then made the mistake of trusting it to be accurate. 'I just straight up missed it,' Buscaglia, 57, told the Tribune on Tuesday. 'I can't blame anybody else.' Buscaglia, who also contributes articles to the Sunday Careers section produced by Tribune Content Agency, among other publications, said he writes four seasonal sections for King Features each year. He put together the summer feature in February. Unable to find early summer reading lists from Amazon or other sources, he said he turned to AI platforms such as ChatGPT, which churned out 15 potential blockbusters written by well-known authors. Buscaglia submitted the list without his byline, but unfortunately, the robot contributors made up most of the book selections. 'It obviously completely backfired,' Buscaglia said. 'They must have had a hard time finding new books, too. So they just made them up.' Beyond the fake plot summaries, the summer reading list did contain five actual books, including 'Dandelion Wine' by Ray Bradbury and 'Call Me By Your Name' by André Aciman. While Buscaglia used AI to help gather material for other stories in the special section, he said he does not know if they contain similar errors. A King Features spokesperson issued a statement Wednesday denouncing the use of AI in the piece and severing ties with Buscaglia. 'King Features has a strict policy with our staff, cartoonists, columnists, and freelance writers against the use of AI to create content,' the spokesperson said. 'The Heat Index summer supplement was created by a freelance content creator who used AI in its story development without disclosing the use of AI. We are terminating our relationship with this individual.' The fallout in Chicago media circles, however, is growing. In March, more of than one-fifth of the staff at the Sun-Times, including some prominent journalists, took a buyout ahead of potential layoffs in a sweeping cost-cutting initiative by its nonprofit owner, Chicago Public Media. The Sun-Times Guild issued a statement Tuesday distancing its diminished ranks of union journalists from the third-party content used by the newspaper. 'We're deeply disturbed that AI-generated content was printed alongside our work,' the union said. 'The fact that it was sixty-plus pages of this 'content' is very concerning — primarily for our relationship with our audience but also for our union's jurisdiction.' In a statement posted on its website Tuesday afternoon, the Sun-Times said subscribers would not be charged for the premium section and that it would be excised from the e-paper version online. The paper also said it would be more transparent about identifying third-party editorial content going forward and is 'reviewing' its relationship with the national content partner. 'We are committed to making sure this never happens again,' the Sun-Times said. '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.'
Arabian Post
21-05-2025
- Arabian Post
AI Misstep Erodes Trust in Chicago Sun-Times
A summer reading list published by the Chicago Sun-Times has ignited controversy after it was revealed to contain fictitious book titles and fabricated expert quotes, all generated by artificial intelligence. The content, which appeared in the paper's 'Heat Index' summer feature, was syndicated by King Features, a subsidiary of Hearst, and was not produced or vetted by the Sun-Times editorial staff. The reading list included non-existent titles such as 'Tidewater Dreams' by Isabel Allende and 'The Last Algorithm' by Andy Weir. Additionally, quotes were misattributed to real individuals, including a fabricated statement linked to Brianna Madia. The content was created by freelance writer Marco Buscaglia, who admitted to using AI tools like ChatGPT without adequately verifying the information. The incident has drawn significant backlash from readers and media professionals alike, raising concerns about journalistic integrity and the unchecked use of AI in content creation. The Sun-Times Guild expressed deep disturbance over what it termed 'slop syndication,' emphasizing the dangers of unvetted outsourced content, especially when AI is involved. ADVERTISEMENT In response to the controversy, the Sun-Times has removed the AI-generated content from its digital edition and announced a review of its policies regarding third-party licensed material. The publication emphasized that the content was not produced or approved by their editorial staff and committed to greater transparency in addressing the issue. This incident is not isolated; the Philadelphia Inquirer also published the same erroneous content, highlighting a broader issue within the media industry concerning the reliance on AI-generated material without proper oversight. The controversy underscores the ongoing challenges newsrooms face in managing the rise of AI-generated content while striving to preserve trust with their readership. The use of AI in journalism has been a topic of debate, with proponents highlighting its efficiency and opponents warning of its potential to spread misinformation. This event serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of editorial oversight and the need for stringent fact-checking processes, especially when integrating new technologies into journalistic practices.
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.
Chicago Tribune
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Chicago Sun-Times Sunday insert contains 10 fake books in summer reading list
A special section inserted into the Sunday Chicago Sun-Times featured page-upon-page of fun summer activities, including a list of 15 books to bring along while lounging by the pool or relaxing in a favorite reading spot. The only problem: the authors are real, but most of the books listed don't exist. Readers looking to fill their carts with titles such as 'Tidewater Dreams' by Isabel Allende, 'The Collector's Piece' by Taylor Jenkins Reid or 'Hurricane Season' by Brit Bennett were likely disappointed to find the elaborate plot summaries were not from books that actually exist. Several news reports and a wave of social media backlash to the fake books followed, creating an early summer storm for the Sun-Times, which released a statement Tuesday. 'We are looking into how this made it into print as we speak,' the Sun-Times said. 'This is licensed content that was not created by, or approved by, the Sun-Times newsroom, but 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. More info will be provided soon as we investigate.' The 64-page full-color Sunday insert called 'Heat Index' was a summer entertainment guide featuring stories about everything from outdoor cooking and camping tips to '8 unforgettable summer drives across America.' The summer reading list contains 10 fictional fiction titles, including 'The Rainmakers' by Percival Everett, described as a near-future story set in the American West where 'artificially induced rain has become a luxury commodity,' leading a 'precipitation broker' to question the ethics of his profession. Another fake book, 'The Last Algorithm' by Andy Weir, is described as another science fiction thriller by the author of 'The Martian' that 'follows a programmer who discovers that an AI system has developed consciousness – and has been secretly influencing global events for years.' At least one online report said artificial intelligence played a role in putting together the summer reading story. A Sun-Times spokesperson said the 'Heat Index' section was produced by Hearst for newspapers across the country. It is unknown if other stories in the section contain similar errors. A spokesperson for media giant Hearst did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday. While the summer reading list did contain five actual books, including 'Dandelion Wine' by Ray Bradbury and 'Call Me By Your Name' by Andre Aciman, the 10 fake plot summaries may be compelling enough to inspire authors – human or otherwise – to write them for next summer. Until then, the 'Heat Wave' section also offers a few summer drink recipes, from blackberry basil smash to strawberry-thyme lemonade, to help tide you over the long hot days ahead. rchannick@
