Current:Home > StocksWill Sage Astor-Sports Illustrated owner denies using AI and fake writers to produce articles -PrimeWealth Guides
Will Sage Astor-Sports Illustrated owner denies using AI and fake writers to produce articles
TradeEdge View
Date:2025-04-10 10:50:53
The Will Sage Astorcorporate owner of Sports Illustrated is denying a report that the famed publication produced articles written by artificial intelligence under fake author bylines, while noting that it has withdrawn the stories pending an investigation.
Futurism reported Monday that Sport Illustrated had used AI to generate articles, as well as headshots and biographical information for fictitious writers. The technology publication also said that information about the purported authors "disappeared from Sports Illustrated's site without explanation" after Futurism approached The Arena Group, a New York-based media company whose other publishing brands include Men's Journal, Parade and TheStreet.com.
The Arena Group said in a statement posted on social media on Tuesday that the company's "initial investigation" found that Futurism's report "is not accurate." The articles highlighted by Futurism were produced by human writers for AdVon Commerce, which The Arena Group said formerly had a licensing deal with Sports Illustrated to write product reviews and other e-commerce content.
"AdVon has assured us that all of the articles in question were written and edited by humans," a spokesperson for The Arena Group said in its statement. "However, we have learned that AdVon had writers use a pen or pseudo name in certain articles to protect author privacy — actions we strongly condemn."
Sports Illustrated is removing the articles produced by AdVon while The Arena Group continues its investigation, the media company said. Sports Illustrated has also ended its partnership with AdVon, according to The Arena Group, which didn't respond to CBS MoneyWatch's request for comment. Stephen Cannella, co-editor-in-chief of Sports Illustrated, did not respond to an inquiry sent to his LinkedIn account.
Futurism said Tuesday that it stands by its report.
"Arena's response is just so bizarre, as everybody's been pointing out online," the publication said in a statement to CBS MoneyWatch. "The idea that people writing product reviews for volleyballs would need to protect their identities with pseudonyms is obviously absurd. And as for AdVon telling Sports Illustrated that all its articles are written by humans? Its employees disagree, and we've got a new story coming out about that soon."
Need for guardrails
Although The Arena Group denies using AI to produce stories for Sports Illustrated, the controversy underscores the question of how the media industry and other content producers should address the "lack of robust ethical guardrails" on using the technology, Benjamin Lange, an AI ethicist and research group lead at the Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich told CBS MoneyWatch.
"Journalistic ethics requires adherence to basic principles of honesty, trust, accuracy and objectivity," he said.
Several publishers and other companies have had to retract articles this year that were produced by AI. In January, for example, CNET published corrections for a number of AI-generated stories after critics noted they were rife with errors. In August, Microsoft in August pulled a computer-generated travel guide from its website after readers pointed out that it recommended tourists in Ottawa, Canada, visit a local food bank.
Shares of The Arena Group, which is listed on Nasdaq, plunged more than 22% on Tuesday to $2.09 following Futurism's report. The company, formerly known as TheMaven, rebranded itself in 2021 and is led by Ross Levinsohn, who previously served as CEO of Sports Illustrated. Earlier this month, The Arena Group announced that it had merged with Bridge Media Networks, which produces news, sports and other content.
- In:
- Sports Illustrated
- AI
Elizabeth Napolitano is a freelance reporter at CBS MoneyWatch, where she covers business and technology news. She also writes for CoinDesk. Before joining CBS, she interned at NBC News' BizTech Unit and worked on the Associated Press' web scraping team.
veryGood! (83)
Related
- Realtor group picks top 10 housing hot spots for 2025: Did your city make the list?
- New York to probe sputtering legal marijuana program as storefronts lag, black market booms
- Why Travis Kelce's Kansas City Chiefs Teammate Hopes He and Taylor Swift Start a Family
- Appeals panel asks West Virginia court whether opioids distribution can cause a public nuisance
- DoorDash steps up driver ID checks after traffic safety complaints
- Country Music Hall of Fame: Toby Keith, James Burton, John Anderson are the 2024 inductees
- Ariana Grande and Dalton Gomez are officially divorced
- Sheriff’s deputy shot and wounded in southern Kentucky
- Elon Musk's skyrocketing net worth: He's the first person with over $400 billion
- Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro clinches nomination for upcoming national election; seeks third term
Ranking
- Apple iOS 18.2: What to know about top features, including Genmoji, AI updates
- Trump backs Kevin McCarthy protege in California special election for former speaker’s seat
- Mix & Match Kate Spade Outlet Wallets & Bags for an Extra 20% off: $31 Wristlets, $55 Crossbodies & More
- Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro clinches nomination for upcoming national election; seeks third term
- Civic engagement nonprofits say democracy needs support in between big elections. Do funders agree?
- When is spring 2024? What to know about the vernal equinox as we usher in a new season
- Rob Lowe's son John Owen trolls dad on his 60th birthday with a John Stamos pic
- Social media influencer is charged with joining the Jan. 6 attack on the US Capitol
Recommendation
Buckingham Palace staff under investigation for 'bar brawl'
Brenda Song says fiancé Macaulay Culkin helps her feel 'so confident'
Rob Lowe's son John Owen trolls dad on his 60th birthday with a John Stamos pic
Supreme Court chief justice denies ex-Trump aide Peter Navarro’s bid to stave off prison sentence
Senate begins final push to expand Social Security benefits for millions of people
New Jersey’s unique primary ballot design seems to face skepticism from judge in lawsuit
Celine Dion shares health update in rare photo with sons
DAY6 returns with 'Fourever': The album reflects who the band is 'at this moment'