NEW YORK — A recent reading guide faced scrutiny for featuring fictional books that never existed. King Features, a content distributor, terminated a writer who utilized artificial intelligence in crafting a summer reading list, inadvertently including non-existent titles. The list, published in “Heat Index: Your Guide to the Best of Summer,” was made available in last week’s Sunday editions of the Chicago Sun-Times and The Philadelphia Inquirer.
The author, Marco Buscaglia, confessed to including over half fictional works after using AI for research without verifying the output. In a reflection of the incident on his Facebook page, Buscaglia acknowledged it as “a really stupid error on my part.”
This situation represents another backlash against AI shortcuts, which have previously embarrassed media outlets. In 2023, Sports Illustrated was criticized for attributing product reviews to fictitious authors on its website. Similarly, the Gannett news service had to halt using AI in sports stories after errors were found.
King Features, the distributor of well-known comics like “Blondie” and “Beetle Bailey,” along with various political and advice columns, stated that the freelancer who crafted the “Heat Index” used AI without revealing its use. This practice violated the company’s strict policy against AI-generated content creation, impacting only the two newspapers linked to the supplement.
Among the errant reading recommendations was “The Last Algorithm” by Andy Weir, purported to be a thrilling narrative about a programmer discovering an AI’s newfound consciousness and hidden influence over global events. Similarly, “Nightshade Market” was said to be an engaging story set in Seoul’s covert economy, falsely attributed to Min Jin Lee. Though both authors are legitimate, neither book exists. Confirming this, Lee stated on social media that she has neither written nor plans to write a book titled “Nightshade Market.”
The Sun-Times has launched an inquiry to determine if further inaccuracies were included in the “Heat Index” release and to assess its affiliations with other content providers. They emphasized this as a pivotal moment for journalism, stressing the value placed on the human element within media amidst ongoing industry changes and challenges.
Following the discovery, both the Sun-Times and the Inquirer have expunged the supplement from digital platforms. The Inquirer’s segment was initially published on May 15.
Having collaborated with King Features for over four decades, The Inquirer often relies on it for comics, puzzles, and other syndicated content, explained Lisa Hughes, the outlet’s publisher and CEO. However, she clarified that their newsroom did not participate in compiling the “Heat Index.”
The mistake was initially brought to light by 404 Media, a technology publication. The specific responsibility for editing Buscaglia’s content within King Features remains unclear. On social media, Buscaglia accepted full responsibility for the oversight, describing it as a “horrible mistake.” He expressed uncertainty about the long-term impact on his career, acknowledging the personal and professional repercussions he might face as a result.
In this digital age’s shifting media backdrop, this serves as a stark reminder of the challenges and responsibilities that come with integrating technology into journalism.