Summer Reads That Don’t Exist: How AI Crafted a Fake Book List
NEW YORK (AP) — The suggested reading list included some novels. It also featured several pieces that were entirely fictitious.
King Features, the content distributor, states that they have dismissed a writer who utilized artificial intelligence to generate a summer reading recommendations piece featuring nonexistent books.
This list was featured in “Heat Index: Your Guide to the Best of Summer,” a special section that was distributed in Sunday’s editions of both the Chicago Sun-Times and The Philadelphia Inquirer earlier this week.
Over half of the books mentioned turned out to be fictitious, as stated by Marco Buscaglia, the author of the article. He confessed to employing AI during his research process but failed to verify the output generated by it. “It was truly an idiotic mistake on my end,” Buscaglia commented on his Facebook post.
AI has troubled some news organizations.
This is the most recent occurrence of
an AI shortcut backfiring
And some awkward developments with news entities occurred. In 2023, Sports Illustrated faced embarrassment when it was revealed they had listed non-existent authors for product evaluations posted online. Similarly, the Gannett news service halted a trial utilizing AI for crafting sports articles once inaccuracies came to light.
“The Summer Supplement from The Heat Index was developed by an independent contractor utilizing AI technology for storytelling purposes without informing us about the use of AI,” stated syndicators King Features, emphasizing their firm stance against employing AI for content creation. According to them, only the Sun-Times and Inquirer utilized this particular supplement.
King Features, which acts as a distributor for various media properties, releases comic strips such as “Blondie” and “Beetle Bailey,” political commentaries fromAmy Goodman andRich Lowry, along with advisory segments like”Hints From Heloise.”
One of the recommended reads for the summer was “The Last Algorithm” by Andy Weir, which is billed as a science-oriented thriller about a coder uncovering how an artificial intelligence system attained self-awareness and covertly manipulated global affairs. Another suggestion was “Nightshade Market,” penned by Min Jin Lee, portrayed as a gripping narrative taking place within Seoul’s clandestine economic sphere.
Both authors are genuine, but their novels are fictional. “I haven’t penned and won’t ever write a book titled ‘Nightshade Market,'” Lee stated on X.
The Sun-Times mentioned they were looking into whether additional incorrect data appeared in the “Heat Index” section and were examining their connections with various content collaborators.
The publication stated, “We find ourselves amidst significant changes in both journalism and technology, yet simultaneously, our sector faces numerous business hurdles.” It further emphasized, “This period ought to serve as an educational opportunity for every journalistic entity: The worth and value of our endeavors stem from the human element inherent within them.”
The Sun-Times and Inquirer both mentioned that they have taken out the supplement from their online versions. The Inquirer’s special section was released on May 15.
Syndicated content is typical for newspapers.
For over four decades, The Inquirer has relied on King Features for comics, puzzles, and various content, according to Lisa Hughes, who serves as both the publisher and CEO of the publication. “It should be noted that the staff at The Inquirer’s newsroom does not participate in producing these syndicated materials; they were also uninvolved in developing Heat Index,” she stated.
The mistake was initially reported by the technology publication 404 Media.
There was uncertainty about who at King Features was tasked with reviewing Bascaglia’s content. The writer based in Chicago stated on Facebook, “This error falls entirely on me—it was simply an unfortunate lapse and a terrible blunder.”
I’m genuinely uncertain about my ability to recover professionally after this situation,” he stated. “Although I still have many tales to tell, I accept full responsibility for what occurred and must face the consequences, regardless of their nature.
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David Bauder covers the overlap between media and entertainment for the Associated Press. Follow him on.
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David Bauder, from The Associated Press