Chicago Sun-Times Publishes AI-Generated Summer Reading List

The Chicago Sun-Times confirmed on Tuesday that it had inadvertently included an AI-generated list of fictitious books in its summer reading recommendations. This revelation came after the publication’s special 64-page section, released on Sunday, titled “Heat Index: Your Guide to the Best of Summer,” presented 15 suggested titles. However, a closer inspection revealed that a significant portion—10 out of the 15 books—were entirely made up.

One notable example was a book titled “Night Shade Market” attributed to Minjin Lee, described as exploring the underground economy of Seoul through the experiences of three women navigating illegal night markets. Lee herself took to her X account on Tuesday to clarify that this book does not exist.

“I have never written a novel called ‘Night Shade Market.’ Thank you,” she indicated.

Melissa Bell, the CEO of the Chicago Sun-Times, addressed the issue in an article, explaining that the error stemmed from a freelance writer at King Feature, one of their content partners. She acknowledged that the editorial staff did not review the list prior to its publication.

Bell remarked, “We are in a moment of great change in journalism and technology, and our industry is facing business challenges. This should be a learning moment for every journalistic organization. Our work is valued for the humanity behind it.”

Moving forward, Bell stated that the Chicago Sun-Times would reassess its partnerships, particularly with King Feature, and update its policies regarding third-party content. The summer reading section has since been removed from the e-paper, and subscribers who purchased the premium version will not incur a charge for it.

“We are committed to ensuring this never happens again. We recognize the need for more answers and transparency about how this section was produced and published,” she explained.

In related reports, the freelance writer involved, Marco Buscalia, confirmed that he had utilized AI for this list without disclosure or adequate review from supervisors. Following this incident, King Feature stated it had “terminated” its relationship with Buscalia due to a violation of its strict AI usage policies.

Chicago’s Director of Public Media Marketing, Victor Lim, later emphasized, “We are dedicated to creating accurate, ethical journalism concerning generative AI in Chicago public media.”