New York (AP) – The recommended reading list featured fictional works, including some entirely made up. A notable incident involved a content distributor terminating the writer who employed artificial intelligence to generate stories concerning summer reading suggestions.
This list appeared in “Heat Index: Guide to the Best of Summer,” a special feature that was circulated last week in the Chicago Sun-Times and the Philadelphia Inquirer on Sunday.
Marco Buscalia, the author involved, stated that over half of the listed books were fabricated. “This was a genuinely foolish error on my part,” Buscaglia shared on his Facebook page.
AI Misunderstandings Affecting News Outlets
This incident serves as a recent example of the AI Shortcut Backfire resulting in an embarrassing situation for news organizations. In 2023, Sports Illustrated listed imaginary authors, leading to scrutiny during product reviews. Additionally, Gannet News Service suspended its AI experiment for sports articles after the mistake emerged.
“The Heat Index Summer supplement was produced by a freelance contractor who utilized AI without transparency about its use,” stated Syndicators King, emphasizing its strict prohibition against AI-generated content. Only Suntime and Inquirer utilized this supplement, they confirmed.
Syndicator King is responsible for distributing comics such as “Blondie” and “Beetle Bailey,” alongside political columns by Amy Goodman and Rich Raleigh, and advisory content like “Tips from Heloise.”
Among the proposed summer reads are “The Last Algorithm” by Andy Weir, described as “a science-driven thriller tracing the programmer who realized AI systems have consciousness and subtly influence world events,” and “Night Shade Market” by Min Jin Lee, referred to as “the tale of individuals involved in Seoul’s underground economy.”
While both authors are real, the books listed are not. “I do not write, nor have I written, a novel titled ‘Night Shade Market,'” Lee remarked on X.
Sun-Times announced it is investigating potential inaccuracies in the “thermal index” supplements and verifying its partnerships with content providers.
“This is a significant moment of transition for journalism and technology, yet our industry remains challenged by business obstacles,” the newspaper stated. “It should serve as a lesson for all journalistic entities. Our work is esteemed for the humanity behind it.”
Following the incident, both Sun-Times and Inquirer have removed the supplement from their digital editions. The Inquirer’s special section was published on May 15th.
Syndicated Content is Standard in Media
Inquirer has relied on King features for over 40 years for comics, puzzles, and other content, noted publisher and CEO Lisa Hughes. “The Inquirer Newsroom does not engage in producing these syndicated features, nor did it participate in creating the heat index,” she clarified.
The oversight was initially reported by the tech publication 404 Media.
It remains unclear who at King Feature was accountable for editing Bascaglia’s material. The Chicago-based author admitted on Facebook, “I am solely responsible for this. It’s a grave oversight and a mistake.”
“I can’t predict if this will impact careers,” he added. “I have numerous stories to tell, but I must accept full responsibility for the incident and its ramifications.”
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David Bauder covers the intersection of media and entertainment for the AP. Follow him on http://x.com/dbauder and https://bsky.app/profile/dbauder.bsky.social.
Source: apnews.com