AI-Generated Summer Reading List Sparks Controversy in Major Newspapers

Fictional fiction: A newspaper's summer book list recommends nonexistent books. Blame AI

NEW YORK (AP) -- The recommended reading list contained some works of fiction. It also contained some works that were, in fact, actually fictional. The content distributor King Features says it has fired a writer who used artificial intelligence to produce a story on summer reading suggestions that contained books that didn't exist. The list appeared in "Heat Index: Your Guide to the Best of Summer," a special section distributed in Sunday's Chicago Sun-Times and The Philadelphia Inquirer last week. More than half of the books listed were fake, according to the piece's author, Marco Buscaglia, who admitted to using AI for help in his research but didn't double-check what it produced. "A really stupid error on my part," Buscaglia wrote on his Facebook page. It's the latest instance of an AI shortcut backfiring and embarrassing news organizations. Sports Illustrated was caught in 2023 listing nonexistent authors for product reviews carried on its website. The Gannett news service had to pause an experiment using AI for sports stories after errors were discovered. "The Heat Index summer supplement was created by a freelance contract creator who used AI in its story development without disclosing the use of AI," the syndicators King Features said in a statement, noting it has a strict policy against using AI to create material. Only the Sun-Times and Inquirer have used the supplement, the organization said. Among the summer reading suggestions was "The Last Algorithm" by Andy Weir, described as "a science-driven thriller following a programmer who discovers an AI system has developed consciousness" and been secretly influencing world events. "Nightshade Market," by Min Jin Lee, was said to be a "riveting tale set in Seoul's underground economy." Both authors are real, but the books aren't. "I have not written and will not be writing a novel called 'Nightshade Market,'" Lee posted on X. The Sun-Times said it was investigating whether any other inaccurate information was included in the "Heat Index" supplement, and reviewing its relationships with other content partners. "We are in a moment of great transformation in journalism and technology, and at the same time our industry continues to be besieged by business challenges," the newspaper said. "This should be a learning moment for all journalism organizations: Our work is valued -- and valuable -- because of the humanity behind it." Both the Sun-Times and Inquirer said they have removed the supplement from its digital editions. The Inquirer special section was published on May 15. The Inquirer has used King Features for comics, puzzles and other material for more than 40 years, said Lisa Hughes, its publisher and CEO. "The Inquirer newsroom is not involved in the production of these syndicated features, nor was it involved in creating Heat Index," she said. The blunder was first reported by the tech publication 404 Media. It was not clear who at King Features had responsibility for editing Bascaglia's material. The Chicago-based writer said on Facebook that "I am completely at fault here -- just an awful oversight and a horrible mistake." "I'm not really sure I bounce back from this situation career-wise," he said. "I have a lot of stories left in me but I am fully accountable for what happened and will have to endure the effects, whatever they may be." ___ David Bauder writes about the intersection of media and entertainment for the AP. Follow him at http://x.com/dbauder and https://bsky.app/profile/dbauder.bsky.social.

A.I.-Generated Reading List in Chicago Sun-Times Recommends Nonexistent Books

A summer reading insert recommended made-up titles by real authors such as Isabel Allende and Delia Owens. The Sun-Times and The Philadelphia Inquirer have apologized. The summer reading list tucked into a special section of The Chicago Sun-Times and The Philadelphia Inquirer seemed innocuous enough. There were books by beloved authors such as Isabel Allende and Min Jin Lee; novels by best sellers including Delia Owens, Taylor Jenkins Reid and Brit Bennett; and a novel by Percival Everett, a recent Pulitzer Prize winner. There was just one issue: None of the book titles attributed to the above authors were real. They had been created by generative artificial intelligence. It's the latest case of bad A.I. making its way into the news. While generative A.I. has improved, there is still no way to ensure the systems produce accurate information. A.I. chatbots cannot distinguish between what is true and what is false, and they often make things up. The chatbots can spit out information and expert names with an air of authority. Most of the book descriptions were fairly believable. It didn't seem out of reach that Ms. Bennett would "explore family bonds tested by natural disasters," or that Ms. Allende would pen another "multigenerational saga." The technology publication 404 Media reported earlier on the reading list. In addition to nonexistent book titles, the section included quotes from unidentifiable experts. Both The Sun-Times and The Inquirer issued statements condemning the use of A.I. and in part blamed King Features, a Hearst syndicate that licenses content nationally. The syndicate produced the 56-page supplement to the newspaper called "Heat Index: Your Guide to the Best of Summer," which also included things like summer food trends and activity recommendations. While the list did not have a byline, a freelancer named Marco Buscaglia took responsibility for piece. He confirmed that the list was partially generated by artificial intelligence, most likely Claude. "It was just a really bad error on my part and I feel bad that it has affected The Sun-Times and King Features, and that they are taking the shrapnel for it," Mr. Buscaglia said in an interview. It's fairly common for media organizations, especially resource-strapped local newsrooms, to rely on syndicates to supplement coverage. Just two months ago, 20 percent of staff at The Sun-Times resigned as part of a buyout offer. On the newspaper's homepage on Wednesday, there were two banners atop the website. One linked to the statement on the May 18 special section, and the other linked to a piece on how federal cuts threaten local journalism. Felix M. Simon, a research fellow in A.I. and digital news at the Reuters Institute at Oxford University, said the technology was not entirely at fault. There are responsible and irresponsible ways to use A.I. for news gathering, he said. "We need better education for everyone from the freelancer level to the executive level," Dr. Simon said, calling on people to look "at the structures that ultimately allowed this factually false article to appear in a reputable news outlet." The special section was removed from The Inquirer's website when it was discovered, according to Lisa Hughes, the publisher and chief executive of the paper. The section was also removed from The Sun-Times's e-paper version, according to a statement, and subscribers would not be charged for the premium edition. King Features did not respond to requests for comment, but in a statement provided to The Sun-Times said it had "a strict policy with our staff, cartoonists, columnists, and freelance writers against the use of A.I. to create content." In their statement, The Sun-Times said that the incident should be a "learning moment." "Our work is valued -- and valuable -- because of the humanity behind it," the statement read.

Major newspapers ran a summer reading list. AI made up book titles.

The Chicago Sun-Times and the Philadelphia Inquirer printed a special section that included articles written using generative AI. The Chicago Sun-Times and the Philadelphia Inquirer find themselves at the center of an AI-related gaffe after they published syndicated content packed with unidentifiable quotes from fake experts and imaginary book titles created using generative artificial intelligence. The articles were published in the papers' "Heat Index" special sections -- a multipage insert filled with tips, advice and articles on summertime activities. The insert, which was published by the Sun-Times on Sunday and by the Inquirer on Thursday, was syndicated by King Features, a service from the Hearst media company that produces comics, puzzles and supplemental material. Skip to end of carousel The Style section Style is The Washington Post's place for news from the front lines of culture -- arts, media, politics, trends and fashion. For more Style stories, click here. To subscribe to the Style Memo newsletter, click here. End of carousel The use of AI-generated content in the insert was first reported by 404 Media, a tech-focused news publication, after it was shared across social media on Tuesday from writers and podcasters who discovered the stories in print. Many pointed out quotes attributed to experts and professors who don't seem to exist, or at least don't have a significant online presence. Similarly, some pieces in the package featured quotes that social media sleuths said could not be found online -- such as one from Brianna Madia, the author of a van-life book called "Nowhere for Very Long," talking about hammock culture to Outside Magazine in 2023. Interviews she did with the magazine in 2019 and 2017 did not feature any discussion on hammocks, and she does not appear in any of the magazine's 2023 stories online. The section's "Summer reading list for 2025" not only recommended fake books such as "Tidewater Dreams" by Isabel Allende and "The Last Algorithm" by Andy Weir, but also imaginary titles from authors Brit Bennett, Taylor Jenkins Reid, Min Jin Lee and Rebecca Makkai. (The list does feature some real books, including Françoise Sagan's "Bonjour Tristesse" and André Aciman's "Call Me by Your Name.") "It is unacceptable for any content we provide to our readers to be inaccurate. We value our readers' trust in our reporting and take this very seriously," Victor Lim, senior director of audience development for Chicago Public Media, said in a statement. "We've historically relied on content partners for this information, but given recent developments, it's clear we must actively evaluate new processes and partnerships to ensure we continue meeting the full range of our readers' needs," he added. Lisa Hughes, the publisher and CEO of the Philadelphia Inquirer, said the special section was removed from the e-edition after the discovery was made. "Using artificial intelligence to produce content, as was apparently the case with some of the Heat Index material, is a violation of our own internal policies and a serious breach," she said in a statement to The Washington Post. Much of the content for the section was written by Marco Buscaglia, a Chicago-based freelance writer who used AI chatbots during the writing process, he told The Post in an interview Tuesday. Buscaglia said the insert, which he began writing in February with a March deadline, wasn't written with any specific cities in mind, and he didn't know which newspapers would run it. Buscaglia said there was "no excuse" for not double-checking his work. When he started writing the recommended books list, Buscaglia considered looking at Goodreads or calling local bookstores for recommendations. But instead, he asked AI chatbots for help. (Buscaglia said he was unsure which chatbot he used, though he said it was either ChatGPT or Claude.) "I'm very responsible about it. I do check things out, but in this case, I mean, I totally missed it," he said about using AI in his reporting. "I feel like, if given the opportunity, I would approach these things differently and have a lot, you know, obviously better set of filters." "I do feel that it also misrepresents the Sun-Times, the Philadelphia Inquirer," he said, adding: "I feel bad about that, too -- that the papers somehow [get] associated with that." The misstep comes as the media industry wrestles with the advent of AI. Large language models and AI chatbots don't always search the web for information, relying on preinstalled knowledge, which can lead them to spit out incorrect or misleading information. Critics have said that newspapers that use AI tools risk exposing readers to low-quality reporting and misinformation, contributing to a rising mistrust of journalism.

Inquirer prints summer reading list full of AI-generated fake titles

Between the lines: Today's AI models continue to make up things in ways that AI makers still haven't figured out how to detect or stop, and human users keep failing to check their output. Case in point: The first item on the list is a novel by the "beloved Chilean American author" Isabel Allende titled "Tidewater Dreams." Zoom in: The article was part of Heat Index, a 56-page summer guide supplement published May 15. It appeared before an ad for the Inquirer that exhorts readers to "Unsubscribe from 'traffic, parking, boardwalk cuisine... yay!' Subscribe to keeping everything beachy." How it happened: Chicago-based freelance writer Marco Buscaglia has since admitted to 404 Media to using AI to write the piece without fact-checking it.

Fictional fiction: A newspaper's summer book list recommends nonexistent books. Blame AI

The recommended reading list contained some works of fiction. It also contained some works that were, in fact, actually fictional. The content distributor King Features says it has fired a writer who used artificial intelligence to produce a story on summer reading suggestions that contained books that didn't exist. The list appeared in "Heat Index: Your Guide to the Best of Summer," a special section distributed in Sunday's Chicago Sun-Times and The Philadelphia Inquirer last week. More than half of the books listed were fake, according to the piece's author, Marco Buscaglia, who admitted to using AI for help in his research but didn't double-check what it produced. "A really stupid error on my part," Buscaglia wrote on his Facebook page. AI has bedeviled some news organizations It's the latest instance of an AI shortcut backfiring and embarrassing news organizations. Sports Illustrated was caught in 2023 listing nonexistent authors for product reviews carried on its website. The Gannett news service had to pause an experiment using AI for sports stories after errors were discovered. "The Heat Index summer supplement was created by a freelance contract creator who used AI in its story development without disclosing the use of AI," the syndicators King Features said in a statement, noting it has a strict policy against using AI to create material. Only the Sun-Times and Inquirer have used the supplement, the organization said. The syndicators King Features distributes comics like "Blondie" and "Beetle Bailey," political columns from Amy Goodman and Rich Lowry, and advice features like "Hints From Heloise." Among the summer reading suggestions was "The Last Algorithm" by Andy Weir, described as "a science-driven thriller following a programmer who discovers an AI system has developed consciousness" and been secretly influencing world events. "Nightshade Market," by Min Jin Lee, was said to be a "riveting tale set in Seoul's underground economy." Both authors are real, but the books aren't. "I have not written and will not be writing a novel called 'Nightshade Market,'" Lee posted on X. The Sun-Times said it was investigating whether any other inaccurate information was included in the "Heat Index" supplement, and reviewing its relationships with other content partners. "We are in a moment of great transformation in journalism and technology, and at the same time our industry continues to be besieged by business challenges," the newspaper said. "This should be a learning moment for all journalism organizations: Our work is valued -- and valuable -- because of the humanity behind it." Both the Sun-Times and Inquirer said they have removed the supplement from its digital editions. The Inquirer special section was published on May 15. Syndicated features are common for newspapers The Inquirer has used King Features for comics, puzzles and other material for more than 40 years, said Lisa Hughes, its publisher and CEO. "The Inquirer newsroom is not involved in the production of these syndicated features, nor was it involved in creating Heat Index," she said. The blunder was first reported by the tech publication 404 Media. It was not clear who at King Features had responsibility for editing Bascaglia's material. The Chicago-based writer said on Facebook that "I am completely at fault here -- just an awful oversight and a horrible mistake." "I'm not really sure I bounce back from this situation career-wise," he said. "I have a lot of stories left in me but I am fully accountable for what happened and will have to endure the effects, whatever they may be." © 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Journalists at Chicago Newspaper "Deeply Disturbed" That "Disaster" AI Slop Was Printed Alongside Their Real Work

Writers at The Chicago Sun-Times, a daily newspaper owned by Chicago Public Media, are speaking out following the paper's publishing of AI-generated misinformation, urging that the "disaster" content threatens the paper's reputation and hard-earned reader trust. The Sun-Times came under fire this week after readers called attention to a "summer reading list" published in the paper's weekend edition that recommended books that turned out to be completely nonexistent. The books were all attributed to real, well-known authors, but ten out of the 15 listed titles didn't actually exist. When 404 Media got in touch with the bylined author, he confirmed he'd used AI to drum up the list. But the writer said he hadn't double-checked the accuracy of the AI-generated reading list. The list was just one small piece of a 64-page "Heat Index" guide to summer, which, as the Sun-Times noted in its response to Futurism and others, had been provided by a third-party -- not by the Sun-Times' own newsroom or other staff. (Other sections within the "best of summer" feature, The Verge found, included similar erroneous and fabricated attribution issues that hinted at AI use.) Shortly thereafter, 404 Media confirmed through the Sun-Times that the content was provided by King Features, a subsidiary of the media giant Hearst, and wasn't reviewed by the Sun-Times before publishing. "Historically, we don't have editorial review from those mainly because it's coming from a newspaper publisher, so we falsely made the assumption there would be an editorial process for this," Victor Lim, a spokesperson for Chicago Public Media, told 404 Media. "We are updating our policy to require internal editorial oversight over content like this." Lim added that Chicago Public Media is "reviewing" its relationship with Hearst, which owns dozens of American newspapers and magazines. The Sun-Times has since posted a lengthy response online apologizing for the AI-spun misinformation making its way to print, while promising to change its editorial policies to protect against such gaffes in the future. The human journalists at the paper have responded, too. In a statement provided to media outlets, including Futurism, the paper's union, the Chicago Sun-Times Guild, issued a forceful statement yesterday admonishing the publishing of the content. It emphasized that the 60-plus page section wasn't the product of its newsroom, and said it was "deeply disturbed" to find undisclosed AI-generated content "printed alongside" the work of the paper's journalists. The Guild's statement reads in full: The Sun-Times Guild is aware of the third-party "summer guide" content in the Sunday, May 18 edition of the Chicago Sun-Times newspaper. This was a syndicated section produced externally without the knowledge of the members of our newsroom. We take great pride in the union-produced journalism that goes into the respected pages of our newspaper and on our website. We're deeply disturbed that AI-generated content was printed alongside our work. The fact that it was sixty-plus pages of this "content" is very concerning -- primarily for our relationship with our audience but also for our union's jurisdiction. Our members go to great lengths to build trust with our sources and communities and are horrified by this slop syndication. Our readers signed up for work that has been vigorously reported and fact-checked, and we hate the idea that our own paper could spread computer- or third-party-generated misinformation. We call on Chicago Public Media management to do everything it can to prevent repeating this disaster in the future. They're right that reader trust is fundamental to the work of journalism, and it's an easy thing to lose. Other AI scandals have gone hand-in-hand with reputational damage, as in the cases of CNET and Sports Illustrated, and we've seen journalists and their unions from around the country issue similar statements following instances of controversial AI use by publishers. This is also the latest instance of third-party media companies distributing AI content to legitimate publishers, in many cases without the direct knowledge of those publishers. As a 2024 investigation by Futurism found, a third-party media company called AdVon Commerce used a proprietary AI tool to create articles for dozens of publishers including Sports Illustrated and The Miami Herald; that content was published under the bylines of fake writers with AI-generated headshots and phony bios, manufacturing an air of faux legitimacy. Some publishers, including the Miami Herald and other local newspapers belonging to the McClatchy publishing network, scrubbed their sites of the content following our investigation, saying they were unaware of AI use. Here, it seems the editorial process was so lacking that AI-generated errors made their way through not just one, but two reputable American publishers before winding up in the Sun-Times' printed edition. (The freelance writer Joshua Friedman confirmed on Bluesky that the error-riddled "Heat Index" guide was also published in The Philadelphia Inquirer.) Which, as the paper's union emphasizes in their statement, meant it was published alongside the journalism that human media workers stake their careers on.

A writer used AI to generate this widely circulated summer reading list which includes fake books, and is published in the Chicago Sun-Times

We've got real books, fake books by real authors, fake books by fake authors, and even some fake blogs to link back to. Thanks AI. There's a reason the mention of AI, particularly in creative spaces, gets a bit of an eyeroll. Actually there's several. It's trained on stolen content for starters, robbing real artists and writers of credit and income. Furthermore, it's often just pretty bad, especially when it comes to factual articles. Language models like ChatGPT are known to hallucinate pretty badly, and this has led to real outlets like the Chicago Sun-Times printing a summer reading list full of fake books. Several outlets have covered the story, such as Arstechnica and The Verge, and of course now I'm doing it here. It could be that we are somewhat motivated to point out when AI stuffs up in the writing space, considering people seem to want to keep giving our jobs to it. But it was 404, which is a paywalled publication, who found the origins of this fake list that made its way into a few publications. The Chicago Sun-Times made a post on Bluesky, which rather passes the buck on the situation. "We are looking into how this made it into print as we speak," it reads, adding "It is not editorial content and was not created by, or approved by, the Sun-Times newsroom. We value your trust in our reporting and take this very seriously. More info will be provided soon." It turns out the list was bought from a partner of the publications, and was found to come from the media conglomerate Hearst. The listicle features some real books but it's also plagued by some that don't exist, credited to both real and fabricated authors. It even points to non-existent blog posts, and is generally just a bout of confusion. Especially for anyone actually trying to get their hands on any of these recommended summer reads. The byline on the list belongs to a Marco Buscaglia, who 404 managed to track down. Initially Buscaglia admitted to using AI in their work, but clarified that they always check it for errors. "This time, I did not and I can't believe I missed it because it's so obvious. No excuses," he told 404. "On me 100 percent and I'm completely embarrassed." This isn't unique. There were other similar articles found, without bylines, that had blatantly fabricated information with quotes from fake people. One about "Summer food trends" had expert quotes from a doctor that doesn't exist, as well as some that were never said by people who do. It's likely this is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to published hallucinating AI content. It comes at a time when budget cuts are causing lots of publications to turn to AI content to save money, but it's definitely a case of you get what you pay for. The sad truth is that there's far less money for writers of good, well researched, and well written content out there then there used to be. I say this as someone who's watched publication after publication in my industry close, leaving talented and dedicated journalists without work. It's another reminder that we have to be ever careful in what we read, both in print and online. It's also a reminder for those who use AI that these things are a tool. They need to be used carefully and properly, with the correct oversight. It's increasingly important to take all your information with a healthy dose of sceptism no matter what side of the readership you're on.

"Summer reading list" with AI-generated titles of books that don't exist runs in Chicago Sun-Times

Adam Harrington is a web producer at CBS Chicago, where he first arrived in January 2006. The Chicago Sun-Times apologized Tuesday for an embarrassing fiasco involving AI. In its Sunday edition, the paper published a summer reading list with the titles, authors, and descriptions of 15 books. But it turned out that 10 of those 15 books do not exist. Author Isabel Allende was born in Chile and raised in Peru. She gained worldwide acclaim in 1982 with the publication of a novel "the House of the Spirits," which began as a letter to her dying grandfather. She is also the author of "Daughter of Fortune," "Island Beneath the Sea," and "The Wind Knows My Name," among other titles. But Allende has never written a book called "Tidewater Dreams." Yet, there that imaginary book is, first on the Sun-Times list -- claiming to be "a multigenerational saga set in a coastal town where magical realism meets environmental activism." Author Rebecca Makkai gained acclaim in 2018 for "The Great Believers," the powerful and heartbreaking story of the AIDS epidemic and its devastating effect on a group of young men living in and around Chicago's Boystown or Northalsted community in the 1980s. Following its publication, Chicago Magazine writer Adam Mogan wrote, "I'll never be able to look at my adopted neighborhood with the same naïveté." Her follow-up to "The Great Believers" was "I Have Some Questions for You," an acclaimed literary mystery novel released in 2023. She has never written a book called "Boiling Point" that "centers on a climate scientist forced to reckon with her own family's environmental impact when her teenage daughter becomes an eco-activist targeting her mother's wealthy clients." But the summer reading list that ran in the Sun-Times claims she did, and calls it her follow-up to "The Great Believers" -- something with which "I Have Some Questions for You" Bodie Kane might take issue. "The Last Algorithm" by Andy Weir, "Hurricane Season" by Brit Bennett, "The Collectors Piece" by Taylor Jenkins Reid, "Nightshade Market" by Min Jin Lee, "The Longest Day" by Rumaan Alam, "Migrations" by Maggie O'Farrell, "The Rainmakers" by Percival Everett, and "Salt and Honey" by Delia Owens are all AI-generated fake titles too. Lee even wrote on X: "I have not written and will not be writing a novel called 'Nightshade Market.' Thank you." The last five books -- "Bonjour Tristesse" by Françoise Sagan, "Beautiful Ruins" by Jess Walter, "Dandelion Wine" by Ray Bradbury, "Call Me By Your Name" by André Aciman, and "Atonement" by Ian McEwan -- are all real titles. However, none of those books are new as one might expect for a summer reading list -- the descriptions even acknowledge that "Bonjour Tristesse" was published in 1954 and "Dandelion Wine" in 1957. The Sun-Times special section was licensed from a national content partner that used a freelance writer. The section was not approved by the paper's newsroom. "Our partner confirmed that a freelancer used an AI agent to write the article," Sun-Times parent organization Chicago Public Media wrote Tuesday. "This should be a learning moment for all of journalism that our work is valued because of the relationship our very real, human reporters and editors have with our audiences." The Sun-Times said it is updating its policies to ensure nothing like this happens again. The paper also noted that subscribers will not be charged for the premium edition in which the list appeartd. The newsroom's union, the Chicago Sun-Times Guild, released a statement reading in part: "We take great pride in the union-produced journalism that goes into the respected pages of our newspaper and on our website. We're deeply disturbed that AI-generated content was printed alongside our work."

Chicago Sun-Times admits summer book guide included fake AI-generated titles

The Chicago Sun-Times reportedly cut a fifth of its staff recently.Scott Olson / Getty Images file Those books that the Chicago Sun-Times recommended reading this summer? You can stop looking for them. The newspaper said Tuesday that several of the titles had been generated by AI and don't actually exist. "Heat Index: Your Guide to the Best of Summer," published on Sunday, was created in part by a freelancer who works for a third-party company, according to the Sun-Times. "To our great disappointment, that list was created through the use of an AI tool and recommended books that do not exist," Melissa Bell, chief executive of Chicago Public Media, which runs the newspaper, said in a statement. "We are actively investigating the accuracy of other content in the special section." The AI flub comes as industries like journalism fear that the rapidly developing technology could encroach on jobs formerly occupied by humans. The Sun-Times recently cut 20% of its staff, according to Axios. While it has come a long way in recent years, AI is not a flawless technology and some iterations have been known to generate fictional or inaccurate information -- an issue also called hallucinating. Some institutions have found uses for the growing technology, including the health care field, education and marketing. However, there is still much pushback from some consumers who are hesitant to trust AI. And like all forms of journalism, AI still requires fact-checking. While several of the books listed by the Sun-Times do not exist, the authors attributed with writing them do. There is no "Tidewater Dreams," for example, but Isabel Allende is an acclaimed Chilean American writer. The Chicago author Rebecca Makkai is credited with the fake book "Boiling Point." And author Min Jin Lee is listed as having written the nonexistent book "NightShade Market." Toward the bottom of the list, some real books appear, such as André Aciman's "Call Me By Your Name." A spokesperson for the Sun-Times directed NBC News to Bell's statement on the paper's website. Bell said the list came from distributor King Features, a company the paper regularly partners with for content. "King Features worked with a freelancer who used an AI agent to help build out this special section. It was inserted into our paper without review from our editorial team, and we presented the section without any acknowledgement that it was from a third-party organization," she said. At least one other paper, The Philadelphia Inquirer, also used the third-party list including the AI-generated book titles. In a statement shared by the Sun-Times, a spokesperson for King Features said the company 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." The Sun-Times said it had removed the list from its digital publication, and the website had a banner on the homepage leading to Bell's statement as of Wednesday afternoon. The paper will now identify in print when content comes from a third-party distributor, and is currently reviewing its relationship with third-party contractors to ensure they meet the standards of the newsroom, the statement says.

AI Created Imaginary Books for Summer Reading List | Newswise

Newswise -- The Chicago Sun-Times and the Philadelphia Inquirer recently published stories with unidentifiable quotes from fake experts and imaginary book titles created by AI. This content included a "Summer reading list for 2025" section which recommended made up books such as "Tidewater Dreams" by Isabel Allende as well as imaginary titles from authors Brit Bennett, Taylor Jenkins Reid, Min Jin Lee and Rebecca Makkai. This mishap in reporting comes at a time when the media industry is reckoning with the boom in AI. Large language models and AI chatbots are known to occasionally provide incorrect or misleading information. Newspapers and freelance journalists that use AI tools without fact-checking may inadvertently publish misinformation. The George Washington University has experts available who can discuss how to prevent this from happening in the future. If you would like to schedule an interview, please contact Claire Sabin at [email protected]. Neil Johnson, a professor of physics at the George Washington University developed a mathematical formula to pinpoint the moment at which a "Jekyll-and-Hyde tipping point" occurs in AI. At the tipping point, AI's attention has been stretched too thin and it starts pushing out misinformation and other negative content. In the future, Johnson says the model may pave the way toward solutions which would help keep AI trustworthy and prevent this tipping point. David Karpf, associate professor of media and public affairs, focuses his work on strategic communication practices of political associations in the U.S., with a particular interest in Internet-related strategies. Two of his published books discuss how digital media is transforming the work of political advocacy and activist organizations. Karpf is an expert on AI, internet politics, and political communication.

Major newspapers ran a summer reading list. AI made up book titles.

The Chicago Sun-Times and The Philadelphia Inquirer find themselves at the center of an AI-related gaffe after they published syndicated content packed with unidentifiable quotes from fake experts and imaginary book titles created using generative artificial intelligence. The articles were published in the papers' "Heat Index" special sections -- a multipage insert filled with tips, advice and articles on summertime activities. The insert, which was published by the Sun-Times on Sunday and by the Inquirer on Thursday, was syndicated by King Features, a service from the Hearst media company that produces comics, puzzles and supplemental material. (King Features did not respond to a request for comment.) The use of AI-generated content in the insert was first reported by 404 Media, a tech-focused news publication, after it was shared across social media Tuesday by writers and podcasters who discovered the stories in print. Many pointed out quotes attributed to experts and professors who don't seem to exist, or at least don't have a significant online presence. Similarly, some pieces in the package featured quotes that social media sleuths said could not be found online -- such as one from Brianna Madia, the author of a van-life book called "Nowhere for Very Long," talking about hammock culture to Outside Magazine in 2023. Interviews she did with the magazine in 2019 and 2017 did not feature any discussion on hammocks, and she does not appear in any of the magazine's 2023 stories online. The section's "Summer reading list for 2025" recommended not only fake books such as "Tidewater Dreams" by Isabel Allende and "The Last Algorithm" by Andy Weir but also imaginary titles from authors Brit Bennett, Taylor Jenkins Reid, Min Jin Lee and Rebecca Makkai. (The list does feature some real books, including Françoise Sagan's "Bonjour Tristesse" and André Aciman's "Call Me by Your Name.") "It is unacceptable for any content we provide to our readers to be inaccurate. We value our readers' trust in our reporting and take this very seriously," Victor Lim, senior director of audience development for Chicago Public Media, said in a statement. "We've historically relied on content partners for this information, but given recent developments, it's clear we must actively evaluate new processes and partnerships to ensure we continue meeting the full range of our readers' needs," he added. Lisa Hughes, the publisher and CEO of The Philadelphia Inquirer, said the special section was removed from the e-edition after the discovery was made. "Using artificial intelligence to produce content, as was apparently the case with some of the Heat Index material, is a violation of our own internal policies and a serious breach," she said in a statement to The Washington Post. Much of the content for the section was written by Marco Buscaglia, a Chicago-based freelance writer who used AI chatbots during the writing process, he told The Post in an interview Tuesday. Buscaglia said the insert, which he began writing in February with a March deadline, wasn't written with any specific cities in mind, and he didn't know which newspapers would run it. Buscaglia said there was "no excuse" for not double-checking his work. When he started writing the recommended books list, Buscaglia said, he considered looking at Goodreads or calling local bookstores for recommendations. But instead, he asked AI chatbots for help. (Buscaglia said he was unsure which chatbot he used, though he said it was either ChatGPT or Claude.) "I'm very responsible about it. I do check things out, but in this case, I mean, I totally missed it," he said about using AI in his reporting. "I feel like, if given the opportunity, I would approach these things differently and have a lot, you know, obviously better set of filters." "I do feel that it also misrepresents the Sun-Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer," he said, adding: "I feel bad about that, too -- that the papers somehow (get) associated with that." The misstep comes as the media industry wrestles with the advent of AI. Large language models and AI chatbots don't always search the web for information, relying on preinstalled knowledge, which can lead them to spit out incorrect or misleading information. Critics have said that newspapers that use AI tools risk exposing readers to low-quality reporting and misinformation, contributing to a rising mistrust of journalism.

Fictional fiction: A newspaper's summer book list recommends nonexistent books. Blame AI

NEW YORK (AP) -- The recommended reading list contained some works of fiction. It also contained some works that were, in fact, actually fictional. The content distributor King Features says it has fired a writer who used artificial intelligence to produce a story on summer reading suggestions that contained books that didn't exist. The list appeared in "Heat Index: Your Guide to the Best of Summer," a special section distributed in Sunday's Chicago Sun-Times and The Philadelphia Inquirer last week. More than half of the books listed were fake, according to the piece's author, Marco Buscaglia, who admitted to using AI for help in his research but didn't double-check what it produced. "A really stupid error on my part," Buscaglia wrote on his Facebook page. It's the latest instance of an AI shortcut backfiring and embarrassing news organizations. Sports Illustrated was caught in 2023 listing nonexistent authors for product reviews carried on its website. The Gannett news service had to pause an experiment using AI for sports stories after errors were discovered. "The Heat Index summer supplement was created by a freelance contract creator who used AI in its story development without disclosing the use of AI," the syndicators King Features said in a statement, noting it has a strict policy against using AI to create material. Only the Sun-Times and Inquirer have used the supplement, the organization said. Among the summer reading suggestions was "The Last Algorithm" by Andy Weir, described as "a science-driven thriller following a programmer who discovers an AI system has developed consciousness" and been secretly influencing world events. "Nightshade Market," by Min Jin Lee, was said to be a "riveting tale set in Seoul's underground economy." Both authors are real, but the books aren't. "I have not written and will not be writing a novel called 'Nightshade Market,'" Lee posted on X. The Sun-Times said it was investigating whether any other inaccurate information was included in the "Heat Index" supplement, and reviewing its relationships with other content partners. "We are in a moment of great transformation in journalism and technology, and at the same time our industry continues to be besieged by business challenges," the newspaper said. "This should be a learning moment for all journalism organizations: Our work is valued -- and valuable -- because of the humanity behind it." Both the Sun-Times and Inquirer said they have removed the supplement from its digital editions. The Inquirer special section was published on May 15. The Inquirer has used King Features for comics, puzzles and other material for more than 40 years, said Lisa Hughes, its publisher and CEO. "The Inquirer newsroom is not involved in the production of these syndicated features, nor was it involved in creating Heat Index," she said. The blunder was first reported by the tech publication 404 Media. It was not clear who at King Features had responsibility for editing Bascaglia's material. The Chicago-based writer said on Facebook that "I am completely at fault here -- just an awful oversight and a horrible mistake." "I'm not really sure I bounce back from this situation career-wise," he said. "I have a lot of stories left in me but I am fully accountable for what happened and will have to endure the effects, whatever they may be." ___ David Bauder writes about the intersection of media and entertainment for the AP. Follow him at http://x.com/dbauder and https://bsky.app/profile/dbauder.bsky.social.

Fictional fiction: A newspaper's summer book list recommends nonexistent books. Blame AI

NEW YORK -- The recommended reading list contained some works of fiction. It also contained some works that were, in fact, actually fictional. The content distributor King Features says it has fired a writer who used artificial intelligence to produce a story on summer reading suggestions that contained books that didn't exist. The list appeared in "Heat Index: Your Guide to the Best of Summer," a special section distributed in Sunday's Chicago Sun-Times and The Philadelphia Inquirer last week. More than half of the books listed were fake, according to the piece's author, Marco Buscaglia, who admitted to using AI for help in his research but didn't double-check what it produced. "A really stupid error on my part," Buscaglia wrote on his Facebook page. It's the latest instance of an AI shortcut backfiring and embarrassing news organizations. Sports Illustrated was caught in 2023 listing nonexistent authors for product reviews carried on its website. The Gannett news service had to pause an experiment using AI for sports stories after errors were discovered. "The Heat Index summer supplement was created by a freelance contract creator who used AI in its story development without disclosing the use of AI," the syndicators King Features said in a statement, noting it has a strict policy against using AI to create material. Only the Sun-Times and Inquirer have used the supplement, the organization said. The syndicators King Features distributes comics like "Blondie" and "Beetle Bailey," political columns from Amy Goodman and Rich Lowry, and advice features like "Hints From Heloise." Among the summer reading suggestions was "The Last Algorithm" by Andy Weir, described as "a science-driven thriller following a programmer who discovers an AI system has developed consciousness" and been secretly influencing world events. "Nightshade Market," by Min Jin Lee, was said to be a "riveting tale set in Seoul's underground economy." Both authors are real, but the books aren't. "I have not written and will not be writing a novel called 'Nightshade Market,'" Lee posted on X. The Sun-Times said it was investigating whether any other inaccurate information was included in the "Heat Index" supplement, and reviewing its relationships with other content partners. "We are in a moment of great transformation in journalism and technology, and at the same time our industry continues to be besieged by business challenges," the newspaper said. "This should be a learning moment for all journalism organizations: Our work is valued -- and valuable -- because of the humanity behind it." Both the Sun-Times and Inquirer said they have removed the supplement from its digital editions. The Inquirer special section was published on May 15. The Inquirer has used King Features for comics, puzzles and other material for more than 40 years, said Lisa Hughes, its publisher and CEO. "The Inquirer newsroom is not involved in the production of these syndicated features, nor was it involved in creating Heat Index," she said. The blunder was first reported by the tech publication 404 Media. It was not clear who at King Features had responsibility for editing Bascaglia's material. The Chicago-based writer said on Facebook that "I am completely at fault here -- just an awful oversight and a horrible mistake." "I'm not really sure I bounce back from this situation career-wise," he said. "I have a lot of stories left in me but I am fully accountable for what happened and will have to endure the effects, whatever they may be." ___ David Bauder writes about the intersection of media and entertainment for the AP. Follow him at http://x.com/dbauder and https://bsky.app/profile/dbauder.bsky.social.

AI is a danger to the book world. Chicago Sun-Times AI summer reading list proved that.

An AI-generated summer reading list with fake titles appeared in a print insert in two major newspapers. It's indicative of larger harms to book publishing and journalism. Every week, I peer over the mountain of advanced review copies on my desk, wondering which book to read next. Too many books and too little time is the best problem (and career) to have. It may only take you a few seconds to scroll through our most anticipated summer reads, but it took weeks of reading and months of preparation to confidently bring you those 15 titles. Last week, the Chicago Sun-Times and The Philadelphia Inquirer ran a print insert with an AI-generated summer reading list from a third-party contributor. Several titles were made up. You won't find "The Last Algorithm" by Andy Weir or "The Collector's Piece" by Taylor Jenkins Reid in bookstores or libraries this summer because they don't exist. AI use is more common in workplaces than ever. Many argue it's a train we can only get on, not stop. But in both the book world and the journalism industry, this kind of AI-generated content threatens and undermines the creativity that makes us readers in the first place. AI-generated articles could further erode trust in journalism Earlier this spring, the Chicago Sun-Times lost 20% of its staff after offering buyouts to curb financial woes. To bolster content, many outlets outsource syndicated third-party content. It's a common practice. USA TODAY, for example, hosts an (editorially reviewed) weekly column written by the American Booksellers Association that spotlights local bookstores around the country. But in a world where media distrust rages high, AI-generated content only furthers skepticism of the industry as a whole, distracting from the crucial news and watchdog reporting communities need. The Chicago Sun-Times summer reading list was licensed from King Features, owned by magazine conglomerate Hearst. Freelancer Marco Buscaglia took responsibility for the piece and confirmed he used AI. "We are looking into how this made it into print as we speak," Victor Lim, marketing director for parent company Chicago Public Media, said in a statement to NPR. "This is licensed content that was not created by, or approved by, the Sun-Times newsroom, but it is unacceptable for any content we provide to our readers to be inaccurate. We value our readers' trust in our reporting and take this very seriously. More info will be provided soon as we investigate." Summer reading lists can be crucial press for debut authors, new books Just as offensive as the fake titles is that some of the real ones on this list are decades old, like Ray Bradbury's 1957 "Dandelion Wine." Books are timeless pieces of media - there's no expiration date on a good read. But it's important to understand how crucial press attention is to an author and book's success. Millions of books are published globally each year. The odds that one book slips through the cracks and makes it on one of these lists are slim. But if it does, there's the potential for tens of thousands more eyes on an author's hard work. And historically, the book industry has been largely white. One study in The New York Times in 2020 showed that 95% of over 7,000 books surveyed were written by white people. While the industry has diversified since 2020, change has been slow, The Times later reported. As a man-made creation, generative AI can amplify human biases, especially when it comes to representing women, LGBTQ+ individuals and people of color, AI experts previously told USA TODAY. If we rely on AI to choose the notable books of the year, we risk further marginalizing authors whose stories deserve to be heard. Large language models are trained on swaths of internet archives, so, naturally, a list like that published in the Chicago Sun-Times can't include new releases. AI can't sift through hundreds of emails from publishers to see what books are coming out this year and it certainly can't match the tireless effort of book publicists and marketers to get a book into your hands. AI can never replace writers and book journalists It takes time and care to come up with a recommendation list. When you read one of our monthly new release recaps, know that each book is pored over and chosen in hopes of being your next great read. AI will never match the human intimacy of getting a book recommendation from someone who cares about you. AI can never replace the email exchanges with readers, swapping new and old titles we'd never otherwise pick up. It can never capture rage or laughter or grief in an audiobook narration. It can never cry at the end of a meaningful read. It can't connect a love story to the bench in Central Park that reminded you of what it means to be alive. Most of all, AI is a danger to what makes us readers in the first place. There's no way to package the human creative spirit in an AI prompt. We are readers because we relish in the slow possibilities of living in the pages of someone else's world. We are readers because we are hungry for meaning about humanity. And while AI may threaten jobs and undermine trust, it can never take away the knowledge and lives we've lived through stepping into a good book. Clare Mulroy is USA TODAY's Books Reporter, where she covers buzzy releases, chats with authors and dives into the culture of reading. Find her on Instagram, subscribe to our weekly Books newsletter or tell her what you're reading at [email protected].

Newspaper apologizes for AI-generated summer reading list with nonexistent books

The Chicago Sun-Times apologized on Tuesday publishing an artificial intelligence-generated summer reading recommendation list that included books that do not exist. The AI list was published online and in print over the weekend, with readers quickly pointing out the fake books and mocking the outlet on social media. The list, published as part of a special section, was created by the newspaper's circulation department, it said, and "licensed from a national content partner." "The special section was syndicated to the Chicago Sun-Times and other newspapers," the company said. "To our great disappointment, that list recommended books that do not exist. We are committed to making sure this never happens again." The section was inserted into the paper without review from its editorial team, the Sun-Times said, apologizing that it presented the section without any acknowledgement that it was from a third-party organization. "We are in a moment of great transformation in journalism and technology, and at the same time our industry continues to be besieged by business challenges," the newspaper said in its statement. "This should be a learning moment for all journalism organizations: Our work is valued -- and valuable -- because of the humanity behind it." The mistake comes as a growing number of major news organizations are partnering with with AI providers and other tech companies on content creation, digital strategy and content management systems.

Fictional Fiction: A Newspaper's Summer Book List Recommends Nonexistent Books. Blame AI

NEW YORK (AP) -- The recommended reading list contained some works of fiction. It also contained some works that were, in fact, actually fictional. The content distributor King Features says it has fired a writer who used artificial intelligence to produce a story on summer reading suggestions that contained books that didn't exist. The list appeared in "Heat Index: Your Guide to the Best of Summer," a special section distributed in Sunday's Chicago Sun-Times and The Philadelphia Inquirer last week. More than half of the books listed were fake, according to the piece's author, Marco Buscaglia, who admitted to using AI for help in his research but didn't double-check what it produced. "A really stupid error on my part," Buscaglia wrote on his Facebook page. It's the latest instance of an AI shortcut backfiring and embarrassing news organizations. Sports Illustrated was caught in 2023 listing nonexistent authors for product reviews carried on its website. The Gannett news service had to pause an experiment using AI for sports stories after errors were discovered. "The Heat Index summer supplement was created by a freelance contract creator who used AI in its story development without disclosing the use of AI," the syndicators King Features said in a statement, noting it has a strict policy against using AI to create material. Only the Sun-Times and Inquirer have used the supplement, the organization said. Among the summer reading suggestions was "The Last Algorithm" by Andy Weir, described as "a science-driven thriller following a programmer who discovers an AI system has developed consciousness" and been secretly influencing world events. "Nightshade Market," by Min Jin Lee, was said to be a "riveting tale set in Seoul's underground economy." Both authors are real, but the books aren't. "I have not written and will not be writing a novel called 'Nightshade Market,'" Lee posted on X. The Sun-Times said it was investigating whether any other inaccurate information was included in the "Heat Index" supplement, and reviewing its relationships with other content partners. "We are in a moment of great transformation in journalism and technology, and at the same time our industry continues to be besieged by business challenges," the newspaper said. "This should be a learning moment for all journalism organizations: Our work is valued -- and valuable -- because of the humanity behind it." Both the Sun-Times and Inquirer said they have removed the supplement from its digital editions. The Inquirer special section was published on May 15. The Inquirer has used King Features for comics, puzzles and other material for more than 40 years, said Lisa Hughes, its publisher and CEO. "The Inquirer newsroom is not involved in the production of these syndicated features, nor was it involved in creating Heat Index," she said. The blunder was first reported by the tech publication 404 Media. It was not clear who at King Features had responsibility for editing Bascaglia's material. The Chicago-based writer said on Facebook that "I am completely at fault here -- just an awful oversight and a horrible mistake." "I'm not really sure I bounce back from this situation career-wise," he said. "I have a lot of stories left in me but I am fully accountable for what happened and will have to endure the effects, whatever they may be." ___ David Bauder writes about the intersection of media and entertainment for the AP. Follow him at http://x.com/dbauder and https://bsky.app/profile/dbauder.bsky.social. Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

How did an AI-generated list of fake books end up in a major newspaper? Do we have to doubt everything we read now?

A recent controversy erupted after the Chicago Sun-Times published a summer reading list filled with several books that, astonishingly, do not exist. The newspaper's "Best of Summer" section, meant to guide readers toward their next great read, included titles like Tidewater Dreams by Isabel Allende and The Rainmakers by Percival Everett -- both entirely fabricated by artificial intelligence (AI). The revelation has sent shockwaves through literary circles and news consumers alike, igniting a broader conversation about trust in modern journalism. Subscribers and social media users reacted with disbelief and anger when they discovered that only five out of the fifteen books on the list were genuine. Many took to platforms like Reddit and X, criticizing the Sun-Times for printing what some called "AI slop" without fact-checking. The incident also sparked a wider debate about newsrooms increasingly relying on AI, often at the expense of human editorial oversight. Critics lamented the decline of traditional journalistic diligence as local copy desks vanish or consolidate, leaving AI to fill the gaps. In response to the uproar, Chicago Public Media CEO Melissa Bell issued a statement admitting the error was caused by a third-party content partner. The AI-generated list was created by a freelancer contracted by King Features and inserted into the paper without editorial review or any disclosure to readers. Bell emphasized that the incident was "unacceptable" and highlighted the irreplaceable value of human judgment in journalism. She assured readers that the Sun-Times is reviewing its content policies and will not charge subscribers for the flawed edition. Writer Marco Buscaglia, who took responsibility for the piece, described it as a "huge mistake" and insisted the Sun-Times was unaware the list was AI-generated. "They trust the content they purchase is accurate," he told NPR. "I betrayed that trust." King Features severed ties with the freelancer after the incident surfaced. This episode is a stark reminder of the phenomenon called "AI hallucination," where language models invent convincing but false information. The fake books were accompanied by plausible descriptions, making it difficult for readers and even editors to detect the falsehoods. The use of AI-generated content extended beyond the book list: other sections of the special issue included fabricated experts and nonexistent websites, deepening concerns about automated content unchecked by human editors. The Chicago Sun-Times' blunder raises critical questions: How much of what we read is genuine? Can we trust news outlets as AI tools become more prevalent? The incident exposes the thin line between efficiency and accuracy, and the danger of outsourcing editorial responsibility to machines or third parties without transparency. While the Sun-Times has promised to tighten editorial oversight and remove the flawed section from digital editions, the episode serves as a cautionary tale for the entire journalism industry. The value of human expertise, critical thinking, and accountability remains paramount even as AI technology reshapes content creation. Readers and newsrooms alike must navigate this new reality carefully -- because when AI blurs the line between fact and fiction, our very trust in the written word is at stake.

Chicago Sun-Times Faces Backlash After Promoting Fake Books In AI-Generated Summer Reading List

"This is just idiotic of me, really embarrassed," said the author of the list, who is not an employee of the newspaper. The Chicago Sun-Times newspaper is receiving major backlash after it printed an AI-generated "summer reading list for 2025" Sunday that promoted several nonexistent book titles. While the reading list did recommend some real titles, like "Call Me By Your Name" by André Aciman, it also suggested readers dive into books such as "Tidewater," a nonexistent book by real-life author Isabel Allende. The reading list described the book as a "multigenerational saga set in a coastal town where magical realism meets environmental activism." Five out of the list's 15 recommended books were real, according to NPR. "I do use AI for background at times but always check out the material first," the list's author, Marco Buscaglia, told independent tech news site 404 Media. "This time, I did not and I can't believe I missed it because it's so obvious. No excuses." "I assume I'll be getting calls all day. I already am," said Buscaglia, who is not a Sun-Times employee. "This is just idiotic of me, really embarrassed. When I found it [online], it was almost surreal to see." Author Rebecca Makkai, who was featured on the summer reading list alongside "Boiling Point," a nonexistent book attributed to her, expressed her shock on Bluesky. "WHAT. THE ACTUAL. FUCK. Chicago Sun Times seems to have used AI to write its summer reading of BOOKS THAT DO NOT EXIST," she wrote. Book Riot editor Kelly Jensen called out the article in a post on Bluesky, asking, "Why the hell are you using ChatGPT to make up book titles? You used to have a books staff. Absolutely no fact checking?" "This is the future of book recommendations when libraries are defunded and dismantled," Jensen wrote in a follow-up post. "Trained professionals are removed in exchange for this made up, inaccurate garbage." The Chicago Sun-Times responded to critics on Bluesky, saying it was looking into how the AI-generated article made it to print in the first place. "It is not editorial content and was not created by, or approved by, the Sun-Times newsroom," the newspaper wrote. "We value your trust in our reporting and take this very seriously." Victor Lim, a spokesperson for the newspaper's parent company, Chicago Public Media, told NPR that the AI book list was part of licensed content provided by a third-party company. The Chicago Sun-Times Guild, which represents more than 600 workers at the newspaper, said in a Bluesky post that it was "aware of the third-party 'summer guide' content," adding that the union was "deeply disturbed that AI-generated content was printed alongside our work." "We take great pride in the union-produced journalism that goes into the respected pages of our newspaper and on our website," the union wrote. "The fact that it was 60+ pages of this 'content' is very concerning -- primarily for our relationship with our audience but also for our union's jurisdiction." Buscaglia told NPR the reading list was a "huge mistake" on his part and clarified that he "has nothing to do with the Sun-Times." "They trust that the content they purchase is accurate and I betrayed that trust. It's on me 100 percent," Buscaglia said.

Summer reading list featured in Chicago Sun-Times, Philadelphia...

The recommended reading list contained some works of fiction. It also contained some works that were, in fact, actually fictional. The content distributor King Features says it has fired a writer who used artificial intelligence to produce a story on summer reading suggestions that contained books that didn't exist. The list appeared in "Heat Index: Your Guide to the Best of Summer," a special section distributed in Sunday's Chicago Sun-Times and The Philadelphia Inquirer last week. More than half of the books listed were fake, according to the piece's author, Marco Buscaglia, who admitted to using AI for help in his research but didn't double-check what it produced. "A really stupid error on my part," Buscaglia wrote on his Facebook page. It's the latest instance of an AI shortcut backfiring and embarrassing news organizations. Sports Illustrated was caught in 2023 listing nonexistent authors for product reviews carried on its website. The Gannett news service had to pause an experiment using AI for sports stories after errors were discovered. "The Heat Index summer supplement was created by a freelance contract creator who used AI in its story development without disclosing the use of AI," the syndicators King Features said in a statement, noting it has a strict policy against using AI to create material. Only the Sun-Times and Inquirer have used the supplement, the organization said. The syndicators King Features distributes comics like "Blondie" and "Beetle Bailey," political columns from Amy Goodman and Rich Lowry, and advice features like "Hints From Heloise." Among the summer reading suggestions was "The Last Algorithm" by Andy Weir, described as "a science-driven thriller following a programmer who discovers an AI system has developed consciousness" and been secretly influencing world events. "Nightshade Market," by Min Jin Lee, was said to be a "riveting tale set in Seoul's underground economy." Both authors are real, but the books aren't. "I have not written and will not be writing a novel called 'Nightshade Market,'" Lee posted on X. The Sun-Times said it was investigating whether any other inaccurate information was included in the "Heat Index" supplement, and reviewing its relationships with other content partners. "We are in a moment of great transformation in journalism and technology, and at the same time our industry continues to be besieged by business challenges," the newspaper said. "This should be a learning moment for all journalism organizations: Our work is valued -- and valuable -- because of the humanity behind it." Both the Sun-Times and Inquirer said they have removed the supplement from its digital editions. The Inquirer special section was published on May 15. The Inquirer has used King Features for comics, puzzles and other material for more than 40 years, said Lisa Hughes, its publisher and CEO. "The Inquirer newsroom is not involved in the production of these syndicated features, nor was it involved in creating Heat Index," she said. The blunder was first reported by the tech publication 404 Media. It was not clear who at King Features had responsibility for editing Bascaglia's material. The Chicago-based writer said on Facebook that "I am completely at fault here -- just an awful oversight and a horrible mistake." "I'm not really sure I bounce back from this situation career-wise," he said. "I have a lot of stories left in me but I am fully accountable for what happened and will have to endure the effects, whatever they may be."