We don't know about you, but admitting AI could write articles for us seems like a weird way to admit a computer could do your job. But that's just us.
So when Sports Illustrated admitted to using AI to write articles for non-existent writers, the blowback was deserved and earned.
After news broke that Sports Illustrated has been publishing AI-generated articles passed off as the work of writers who did not exist, the magazine’s staff gathered for a virtual all-hands meeting. Staffers were furious, according to people who attended. https://t.co/awGNt11X6e
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) November 29, 2023
A day after news broke that Sports Illustrated has been publishing AI-generated articles passed off as the work of writers who did not exist, the staff of the storied sports magazine gathered for a virtual all-hands meeting. Staffers were furious, according to people who attended who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal company business.
The website Futurism reported Monday that SI, the glossy magazine that for decades was the gold standard for sports journalism, had produced consumer product reviews by artificial intelligence and bylined the stories by fake writers. One writer’s profile photo was available for purchase on an AI website, Futurism reported.
SI withdrew the stories, but its parent company, the Arena Group, a media conglomerate that also owns Men’s Journal and Parade, disputed Futurism’s report. In a statement Monday, Arena said the articles were written by people for AdVon Commerce, a third-party company it had hired to produce e-commerce content. Only the authors’ names and bios were AI-generated, Arena said.
Hoo boy.
The digital canary in the coal mine, so to speak
— Jeff Hansen (@jeffhansen62) November 29, 2023
Yes, it is.
Furious, as they should be. Readers, too.
— Kim Masters (@kimmasters) November 29, 2023
We don't blame anyone for being mad. It's infuriating.
Sports Illustrated was publishing AI articles under fake names. They deleted every piece when called out. pic.twitter.com/skaN2rRksF
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) November 28, 2023
Deleting the pieces only makes it worse.
Transparency is crucial in the age of AI journalism. https://t.co/zmJ1RgThI6
— s̲u̲i̲k̲a̲ (@suikagamer0) November 29, 2023
Yes it is. If you're going to do AI journalism, explain it.
Sports Illustrated, which has destroyed its once illustrious brand on the Internet, is now allegedly using AI generated articles online by made up writers: pic.twitter.com/ubWvxNFpxK
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) November 29, 2023
It used to be a weekly magazine, and now it's monthly. This AI news will only damage the brand further.
SI use to be iconic with their writers, articles and pictures. I use to look forward to it coming on Thursday and just devouring it. Now I don’t even have it’s app on anything.
— Evl2 (@EVL2) November 29, 2023
We're guessing you're not alone in this.
Having worked for a bit for an SI affiliate organization, this does not surprise me at all. https://t.co/3yB8BdLTT5
— Bruce Hooley (@BHOOLZ) November 29, 2023
We're not surprised, either.
Futurism caught Sports Illustrated publishing AI stories — with fake author profile pages and all. We went to them with it, and they wiped...all of it. https://t.co/bjPvqWeOBI pic.twitter.com/dh100fxUOJ
— foster kamer. (@weareyourfek) November 27, 2023
Futurism did really good journalism, by the way.
Sports Illustrated published articles by fake, AI-generated writers (and the articles smell suspiciously AI generated as well)https://t.co/mU7u2GkIqO
— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) November 27, 2023
The whole thing stinks.
Sports Illustrated has fallen so hard from the days of the football phone. https://t.co/qr8uiIL8bK
— Jass Chishomie (@JChishomie) November 27, 2023
Ah, the football phone. We remember that.
The amount of journalistic integrity issues Sports Illustrated caused is innumerable. This is a sad day for journalism.
— Carlos Toro Torres (@CarlosToroMedia) November 27, 2023
AI has no place in writing in this manner and the way SI handled it is embarrassing. The people who approved this AI direction should be ashamed of themselves. https://t.co/baD6muiNMa
Journalism is already suffering from a dearth of trust. This won't help.
The only way to stop this from becoming basically the entire internet is if people show that they despise it so much that it’s not even worth trying to get away with it. https://t.co/umbaOui7Vv
— Ben Fowlkes (@benfowlkesMMA) November 27, 2023
And it seems people are showing how much they despise it. But if media outlets will earn anything from this remains to be seen.
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