CHICAGO – A syndicated summer reading list featuring fake books has put the Chicago Sun-Times in the hot seat over the use of artificial intelligence.
What we know:
On Sunday, the Chicago Sun-Times published a special section titled “Heat Index: Your Guide to the Best of Summer” in both its print and e-paper editions. Among the features was a summer reading list sourced from a nationally-recognized content partner, later identified as King Features, a unit of Hearst.
The special section was not only syndicated to the Chicago Sun-Times, but other newspapers as well.
CHICAGO, IL – MAY 15: Chicago Sun Times newspapers are sold from a dispenser near their editorial offices on May 15, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty)
Readers soon discovered that several books on the list didn’t exist, according to Axios. The very first entry, “Tidewater Dreams” by real-life author Isabel Allende, was a fake book apparently generated by AI.
The Sun-Times says the section was not created by its newsroom staff and confirmed that a freelancer working for its content partner used an AI tool to write the list.
What they’re saying:
“We are committed to making sure this never happens again,” the Sun-Times said in a statement on their website. “We know that there is work to be done to provide more answers and transparency around the production and publication of this section, and will share additional updates in the coming days.”
The other side:
According to the Sun-Times, King Features released a statement to Chicago Public Media saying it has “a strict policy with our staff, cartoonists, columnists, and freelance writers against the use of AI to create content. The Heat Index summer supplement was created by a freelance content creator who used AI in its story development without disclosing the use of AI. We are terminating our relationship with this individual. We regret this incident and are working with the handful of publishing partners who acquired this supplement.”
What’s next:
The Sun-Times has announced several corrective measures:
- Subscribers will not be charged for the issue.
- The inaccurate section has been removed from the e-paper edition and replaced with an editor’s note.
- Policies around third-party licensed content are being updated to require the same editorial standards as newsroom-produced material.
- The paper will clearly label any future third-party content.
- Its relationship with the content partner is under review to ensure no further mistakes.
The Source: The information in this article was obtained from the Chicago Sun-Times and Axios reporting.