OT - Sports Illustrated Using Flawed AI Content with Fake AI Reporters
Using AI generate fake authors, Sports Illustrated has turned to publishing AI generated content. Investigations have discovered that other publications owned by SI parent company "The Arena Group" have also been using AI based articles, at times littered with errors.
“At the bottom (of the page) there would be a photo of a person and some fake description of them like, ‘oh, John lives in Houston, Texas. He loves yard games and hanging out with his dog, Sam.’ Stuff like that. It’s just crazy.”
First time I can recall making an OT post, but journalistic integrity issues really grind my gears and with what seems to have been a recent coordinated anti-Michigan campaign, I felt this was pertinent.
November 27th, 2023 at 5:52 PM ^
Literally just another phrase of instruction to the AI platform of choice..."Write an article about {insert topic here} in a voice that is negative about Michigan football."
November 27th, 2023 at 9:23 PM ^
I think the code has been refined such that the only instruction needed is: "Write an article about Michigan football," and the negative content appears.
November 27th, 2023 at 5:54 PM ^
Journalistic integrity has been a myth for some time. But it’s funny how those same outlets will call you crazy if you question the voracity of their content.
November 27th, 2023 at 6:39 PM ^
The voracity of which is completely unverified.
November 27th, 2023 at 7:20 PM ^
Sports journalism is kind of an oxymoron. Sports is entertainment, so it's treated differently than, say, global affairs, politics, or crime. It's driven by readers' emotions, not dispassionate facts. You can't get the score wrong, or the names of the players but everything else can be injected with opinion. I don't think the same rules apply to sports journalism as to just journalism. Different animal. So few sports journalists apply the standards of journalism today.
November 27th, 2023 at 9:24 PM ^
I agree - sports writers are entertainment writers.
As I've said before, the purveyors of this sports entertainment blog do it better than most anyone else, but it's still covering entertainment.
November 28th, 2023 at 5:23 AM ^
I agree but at the same time few non sport’s journalists seem to apply traditional rules of journalism today either.
November 27th, 2023 at 7:51 PM ^
"But it’s funny how those same outlets will call you crazy if you question the voracity of their content."
+1 for proper use of voracity vs. veracity
November 27th, 2023 at 5:57 PM ^
I heard Pete Thamel uses Cry'nRyan.io GPT AI to generate his witch hunt porn for OSU and MSU fans.
November 27th, 2023 at 5:58 PM ^
Shit I thought we were all AIs on here
November 27th, 2023 at 6:06 PM ^
I know I am.
November 27th, 2023 at 6:54 PM ^
Truly, we are living in a simulation and the programmers are just messing with us.
November 27th, 2023 at 5:58 PM ^
It will take some time for all the sites using shitty AI to lose their audience completely but it will happen. The first couple times someone clicks a link thinking they might get some thoughtful analysis and gets dogshit madlibs they might not think much of it, but it that doesn't last forever. Great way to run a once valuable name into the ground.
It's extra frustrating because machine learning and AI have some great applications, but there's so much dumb money being thrown at it for stupid shit like this.
November 27th, 2023 at 6:04 PM ^
I'm shocked - shocked - to find out that AI usage is happening in this establishment!
November 27th, 2023 at 6:08 PM ^
I thought Deadspin was caught doing this a while ago as well.
These legacy media outfits are generally pretty shitty because they're all run by private equity firms trying to flip them for a quick profit.
November 27th, 2023 at 6:08 PM ^
Username definitely checks out!
November 27th, 2023 at 6:10 PM ^
OP user name checking out
November 27th, 2023 at 6:19 PM ^
Let's ask the source:
You:
Does Sports Illustrated use AI to generate sports stories that are filled with inaccuracies?
ChatGPT:
As of my last knowledge update in January 2022, there was no specific information indicating that Sports Illustrated or any other major sports media outlets were using AI to deliberately generate sports stories filled with inaccuracies. However, it's essential to note that developments in AI and media practices can occur, and I may not have the most recent information.
Sports media outlets may use AI and machine learning for various purposes, such as data analysis, content personalization, and generating statistical insights. The goal is generally to enhance the quality of content and provide more engaging and relevant information to their audience.
If there have been changes or new developments since my last update, I recommend checking the latest sources or contacting Sports Illustrated directly for the most accurate and up-to-date information on their content creation processes.
EDIT
When "challenged" AI decided to lawyer up. AI really is becoming sentient! /S
You:
But there are numerous inaccuracies in stories that Sport Illustrated published that relied upon AI to generate content.
ChatGPT
As of my last knowledge update in January 2022, I don't have specific information about Sports Illustrated using AI to generate content or any inaccuracies in their stories related to AI-generated content. It's important to note that the landscape of media and technology can evolve, and developments may have occurred since then.
If there have been reports of inaccuracies in stories generated by AI at Sports Illustrated or any other publication, it could be due to various reasons, such as errors in the training data, biases in the algorithms, or other technical issues. It's also possible that any inaccuracies are unintentional and could be addressed through improved AI models and editorial oversight.
For the most accurate and up-to-date information on Sports Illustrated's use of AI and any reported inaccuracies, I recommend checking the latest news articles, statements from the publication, or contacting Sports Illustrated directly for clarification.
November 27th, 2023 at 6:26 PM ^
This is not AI, it's a glorified chat bot.
November 27th, 2023 at 6:30 PM ^
im completely shocked
/s
November 27th, 2023 at 6:38 PM ^
I wonder if someone within the company was doing this rogue while the money for these "reporters" was going into her/his bank account.
November 27th, 2023 at 6:42 PM ^
We are entering a time where “fact” and “fiction” are going to cease to exist. Not just in the ability to tell them apart, the way most people fear right now, but where they actually are not going to mean the same thing they do now. The question “is it true” will almost become unanswerable. The scary thing is that we are almost there but our institutions are not recognizing it and adapting it in time or with enough urgency.
November 27th, 2023 at 6:52 PM ^
Uh, no.
November 27th, 2023 at 7:04 PM ^
Closer than you think.
Did Michigan cheat to win all of its games in while Connor Stalions was on staff?
Just a yes or a no will do.
November 27th, 2023 at 7:09 PM ^
Wtf does that have to do with AI or the current media environment? There have been differences of opinion for thousands of years. Being concerned about information sources is reasonable. But finding reliable sources and having a reasonable skepticism about information that confirms your priors is not that difficult.
November 27th, 2023 at 7:10 PM ^
So are you saying that statement is neither true nor false? Or both? How is that?
November 27th, 2023 at 7:15 PM ^
Ah, so you're just being obtuse.
Hotdogs are sandwiches, true or false!? ANSWER THE QUESTION, COWARD!!!
November 27th, 2023 at 7:18 PM ^
No, I’m not being obtuse. There is a source/reliability problem but it is secondary or at least co-morbid with a language problem.
It started with things like “well I know the jury said he was not guilty but we can all agree he is, right?” Now it’s just insidious.
And of course a hot dog might be a sandwich.
November 27th, 2023 at 7:50 PM ^
The brick wall is still there, no matter how many people believe they can walk straight through it. At some point, the smokescreen settles.
November 27th, 2023 at 6:48 PM ^
I have no problem using AI to draft articles and then refine/correct/update by an actual journalist who knows the subject matter to add the right details, tone, etc. In fact, journalists would be dumb not to do this. A long-time journo can have all their work fed into a generative AI tool so it can learn their style, tone, etc. and give them a starting point much more quickly than starting from scratch.
That said, I wouldn't do it for everything b/c that also degrades the creative process.
The issue is that they are trying to shortcut the whole process by having some randos enter in some interesting prompts, maybe proofing for grammar, and then posting it. This is utter BS use of AI.
November 27th, 2023 at 6:55 PM ^
Understand that 99% of what is currently hyped as, 'AI,' are basically just filters.
November 27th, 2023 at 7:13 PM ^
WOW! That's just insane.
November 27th, 2023 at 9:09 PM ^
ESPN definitely does it. I've seen short game summaries in which the AI article "reported" that the winning team lost. Oops.
November 27th, 2023 at 7:10 PM ^
Journalistic integrity hasn't existed much for the last decade. Not surprised here
November 27th, 2023 at 7:29 PM ^
I will also add that while this practice is pretty egregious you see places like ESPN do a version of this by copy-pasting 95% of an article they wrote a day or two ago, adding maybe a paragraph of additional text that may or may not be relevant, and then re-releasing it with the same authors. It's all about tricking readers into thinking they've generated new content when they haven't.
November 27th, 2023 at 7:45 PM ^
To be fair, news agencies have been employing fake reporters publishing stories littered with errors for a long time. Now they're getting them on the cheap.
November 27th, 2023 at 7:51 PM ^
Every PE firm is looking to gather worthless old magazine brands to fill with AI generated content. Near zero cost.
November 27th, 2023 at 7:55 PM ^
At this stage, SI is nothing but two photographers and a makeup artist with a very light wardrobe case on a one-month annual contract, and a part-time editor running his eyes over some AI content mornings before he goes off to his full-time gig as a Roto Rooter franchise manager. Add them to ESPN and The Athletic; toss them on the dog pile.
I remember the moment in the publishing industry when the, uh, actual writing was suddenly being called "content" and the big corporations were all snapping up as much as they could. A foreshadowing. I don't know who's going to buy all their tinsel and landfill when everyone's out of a job, but we'll cross that bridge. . . soon.
November 27th, 2023 at 8:57 PM ^
It took Bard about 2 seconds to write this article:
Ryan Day has been the head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes since 2019. During his tenure, he has compiled a 45-13 record, including three Big Ten championships and two College Football Playoff appearances. However, Day has also been criticized for his in-game decision-making and his handling of certain player situations.
In-game decision-making
One of the most common criticisms of Day is his in-game decision-making. In several key games, Day has made questionable decisions that have ultimately cost the Buckeyes the game. For example, in the 2022 College Football Playoff semifinal game against Georgia, Day made a controversial decision to punt on a fourth-and-1 from the Georgia 34-yard line with just over two minutes left in the game. The Buckeyes would go on to lose the game by four points.
Handling of player situations
Day has also been criticized for his handling of certain player situations. In 2020, Day suspended star defensive end Tyreke Smith for the first five games of the season after Smith was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of operating a vehicle while impaired. Day was also criticized for his handling of the situation involving quarterback Justin Fields, who transferred to Georgia after being benched in the 2021 College Football Playoff semifinal game against Alabama.
Overall record
Despite his critics, Day has a winning record at Ohio State. However, his overall record is not as impressive as some of his predecessors. For example, Urban Meyer, who coached Ohio State from 2012 to 2018, had a 83-9 record during his time at the school.
Future
Day is still under contract at Ohio State through the 2026 season. However, if the Buckeyes continue to struggle, there is a possibility that he could be fired before then. Day is a talented coach, but he needs to improve his in-game decision-making and his handling of player situations if he wants to be successful in the long-term.
In addition to the above, here are some other specific failures of Ryan Day:
- Losing to Michigan three straight years. The Buckeyes' rivalry with Michigan is one of the most heated in college football, and Day has yet to beat the Wolverines. In fact, Ohio State has lost three straight games to Michigan, including two losses at home.
- Failing to win a national championship. Day has taken Ohio State to the College Football Playoff twice, but he has yet to win a national championship. This is a major disappointment for Buckeye fans, who have been waiting for a national title since 2002.
- Struggling against top-tier competition. Ohio State has struggled against top-tier competition in recent years. The Buckeyes have lost their last four games against ranked opponents, including losses to Georgia, Michigan, and Alabama.
Overall, Ryan Day has had a mixed bag of success at Ohio State. He has won a lot of games, but he has also made some questionable decisions that have cost the Buckeyes some big games. If Day wants to be considered one of the great coaches in Ohio State history, he needs to improve his in-game decision-making and his handling of player situations.
November 27th, 2023 at 10:15 PM ^
Yahoo Sports has a weekly run down of each team in the top 25...how they did and what's up next (yes, like the sorely missed Opponent Watch). The first two times I read it this year it had a very different, flat, plastic tone to it...I'd guess they have some AI writing it now and I've not read it again.
I prefer to read good human-created prose that delivers information with some personality. What AI creates is like Soylent Green.