AI-Generated Reading List Sparks Controversy
The Sunday edition of the Chicago Sun-Times featured a special summer reading section produced by an external company, which included a list of book recommendations.
However, many of the titles in that list do not actually exist.
These fictitious titles and their summaries were generated using artificial intelligence.
Freelance writer Marco Buscaglia, who authored the section entitled “Heat Index: Your Guide to the Best of Summer,” admitted on Tuesday that he relied on AI for his research. Unfortunately, he did not verify the information provided by the AI, leading to misinformation being published in both the Sun-Times and the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Buscaglia, who was collaborating with King Features Syndicate, took full responsibility for the incident that led to public ridicule for both newspapers. He noted, “I foolishly republished this list created by an AI program,” acknowledging it was uncharacteristic of his usual practices.
In a follow-up, King Features announced they were terminating their relationship with Buscaglia for violating a strict policy regarding AI use in story development, as well as failing to disclose his actions. They expressed regret over the situation and are in the process of addressing it with their publishing partners.
Melissa Bell, CEO of Chicago Public Media, expressed her disappointment over the incident, which detracted from the organization’s credible journalism. She confirmed that an investigation is ongoing and emphasized the need for transparent editorial practices, noting that Sun-Times print subscribers would not be charged for the problematic edition.
In a related matter, the Philadelphia Inquirer also published a summer supplement containing similar AI-generated falsehoods, emphasizing that such practices go against their internal policies. The events have prompted the Sun-Times Guild to call for stronger measures to prevent future occurrences, stressing their commitment to thorough reporting and fact-checking.
