AI Generated Reading Guide Contains Non-Existent Books – Twitchy

There has been much hand-wringing over the threat of AI taking the journalists’ jobs and given what we’re about to show you, it can’t come soon enough.

The Chicago Sun-Times newspaper’s “Best of Summer” section published over the weekend contains a guide to summer reads that features real authors and fake books that they did not write was partially generated by artificial intelligence. https://t.co/Idbv6TTkiw

— Andy Kaczynski (@KFILE) May 20, 2025

The money quote:

… real authors and fake books that they did not write was partially generated by artificial intelligence.

At this point, just cut out the middleman (sorry, middlepersxn) and hire Grok.

From the linked article.

The Chicago Sun-Times newspaper’s “Best of Summer” section published over the weekend contains a guide to summer reads that features real authors and fake books that they did not write was partially generated by artificial intelligence, the person who generated it told 404 Media.

It goes on.

The article, called “Summer Reading list for 2025,” suggests reading Tidewater by Isabel Allende, a “multigenerational saga set in a coastal town where magical realism meets environmental activism. 

…

Neither of these books exist, and many of the books on the list either do not exist or were written by other authors than the ones they are attributed to. 

Oopsie!

Mistakes happen and the author took responsibility. However, it’s a dang funny story! And, of course, the reactions are gold.

Interesting. Have we analyzed the fake books yet? I’m curious.

— Karen Orlando (@KarenFOrlando) May 20, 2025

Ha ha! Let’s get ChatGPT to review them.

Nearly unbelievable

— Douglas Fox (@DglsFox) May 20, 2025

And yet …

Recommended

What if AI is already sentient – and is just f-ing with us? https://t.co/Pesq5MOL1Z

— Matt Baylow (@MattBaylow) May 20, 2025

(chin scratch emoji here)

I’m old enough to remember when the media folks warned us against blogs because they didn’t have editors. https://t.co/ytxrz2jgVF

— Lionel Mandrake (@LMandrakeJr) May 20, 2025

Ah yes, “the trust us, don’t trust untrained people in their pajamas” era. Good times.

If a reporter / editor at any major publication fabricated 90% of an article, they’d be immediately fired. Curious as to whether there will be any accountability at the Chicago Sun-Times, or if the mistake will be hand-waved away because of the AI factor. https://t.co/kfcYGi6c2b

— Rob Price 🏔 (@robaeprice) May 20, 2025

What a quaint and outdated sentiment.