In Wyoming, a recent scandal involving a journalist has garnered widespread attention. The reporter employed artificial intelligence technology in their writing, resulting in the fabrication of multiple citations and stories. This incident was exposed by local competitor journalist CJ Baker, who noticed that the quotes from the Wyoming governor and district attorney seemed off, followed by some mechanically written sentences in subsequent articles.
The issue began with a report on comedian Larry the Cable Guy being selected as the grand marshal for the Cody Stampede Parade. The article mentioned, "The 2024 Cody Stampede Parade will be an unforgettable celebration of American independence," which sounded unusual, especially as it concluded with a mention of a basic news writing structure, as if from a textbook. Further investigation led Baker to meet with the new reporter, Aaron Pelczar, who admitted to using AI in his articles and resigned shortly after.
The newspaper's publisher and editors later apologized for the incident and promised to take measures to ensure no similar incidents occur in the future. Editor Chris Bacon expressed in an editorial that failing to detect AI-generated content was his oversight and he is sorry for it. He emphasized that journalists should not trust AI-generated content.
Although falsifying citations and facts is not uncommon in the journalism industry, this scandal highlights the potential harm that artificial intelligence can cause to the field. AI can generate seemingly plausible articles, making it difficult to discern truth from fiction. Institutions like the Associated Press use AI for certain automated tasks but prohibit journalists from using generative AI to write publishable content.
After thorough scrutiny, the company discovered that seven of Pelczar's articles contained AI-generated false citations, with many quoted individuals never having directly spoken to Pelczar. Despite sounding credible, these citations were entirely fabricated. The company is currently developing AI usage policies to ensure future reports do not encounter similar issues.
Key Points:
📄 Recently, a Wyoming journalist resigned due to using AI to generate false reports and citations.
🔍 The editor admitted failure to detect AI content promptly and pledged to take measures to prevent recurrence.
📝 News organizations will establish AI usage policies to ensure the authenticity and credibility of their reports.