A US newspaper's summer book list recently made a major blunder by recommending non-existent books, thanks to a freelance writer's reliance on artificial intelligence for research. The writer, Marco Buscaglia, admitted to using AI without double-checking the information, resulting in more than half of the books on the list being fictional.
The list, published in the "Heat Index: Your Guide to the Best of Summer" supplement, was distributed in Sunday's Chicago Sun-Times and The Philadelphia Inquirer. Some of the non-existent books recommended include "The Last Algorithm" by Andy Weir, described as a science-driven thriller about a programmer who discovers an AI system has developed consciousness and is secretly influencing world events.
Another example is "Nightshade Market" by Min Jin Lee, said to be a riveting tale set in Seoul's underground economy. However, Min Jin Lee herself posted on X that she has not written and will not be writing a novel called "Nightshade Market".
The content distributor, King Features, has fired the writer and stated that they have a strict policy against undisclosed AI use. Both the Sun-Times and Inquirer have removed the supplement from their digital editions, with the Sun-Times investigating whether any other inaccurate information was included.
This incident highlights the risks of relying on AI without proper oversight and fact-checking, especially in journalism. As the industry continues to navigate the intersection of technology and storytelling, this serves as a learning moment about the importance of human judgment and verification.
