Key Takeaways
- A special lifestyle section published in the Chicago Sun-Times, produced by a third-party, was found to be filled with numerous errors and fabricated content.
- The freelance writer responsible attributed the widespread misinformation to his use of artificial intelligence and a subsequent failure to fact-check the AI-generated material.
- The Sun-Times and its parent company, Chicago Public Media (CPM), have retracted the problematic section and stated they will no longer purchase such editorial content from the producer, King Features.
- This incident has drawn criticism and prompted internal reviews, highlighting concerns about AI-generated content in media, though CPM intends to continue exploring AI use responsibly.
A recent special section in the Chicago Sun-Times, designed to offer engaging summer lifestyle content, instead delivered a surprising amount of misinformation. The section was not produced by the newspaper’s staff but by an external company, King Features.
The widespread problems came to light after the section, titled “Heat Index” and published on May 18, faced initial criticism for recommending books that didn’t actually exist. A subsequent in-depth review by the Chicago Sun-Times newsroom uncovered that the errors were far more extensive. The Philadelphia Inquirer also published this section.
The newspaper’s internal review of the 64-page guide found that all 10 stories with named sources contained multiple errors or information that could not be independently verified. Some articles even included entirely fabricated sources and quotes.
For example, an article on oven-free cooking quoted acclaimed chef Alice Waters. However, Waters’ executive assistant confirmed the chef never provided the quote and was not interviewed for the section. The Food & Wine interview cited as the source did not contain the statement.
Marco Buscaglia, the Chicago-based freelance writer who authored the content, has blamed his use of artificial intelligence for the erroneous information. He admitted he failed to adequately fact-check what the AI program generated.
The inaccuracies permeated various articles. A story on the “hammock boom” quoted supposed experts who either do not exist or were misrepresented. One individual named as a product line manager at Eagles Nest Outfitters was confirmed by the company to have never been an employee. Another cited expert, along with her research, could not be verified.
Real individuals were also caught up in the misinformation. DIY blogger Beau Coffron was quoted on building pergolas, a topic he stated he knows nothing about. A gardening author was quoted as speaking at a 2024 festival, despite having passed away in 2023.
Additionally, a 2024 Wired magazine story about outdoor movie setups was cited, but Wired confirmed the attributed writer has not worked for the publication and the quote was inaccurate.
The “Summer reading list for 2025” infamously recommended 15 book titles, ten of which were entirely made up, though attributed to real authors. Some authors publicly confirmed the fictitious nature of these supposed upcoming books.
Chicago Public Media (CPM), owner of the Sun-Times, acted by removing the “Heat Index” guide from its e-paper archives. CPM CEO Melissa Bell referred to the situation as a series of “human mistakes,” beginning with Buscaglia’s AI use and insufficient verification.
CPM executives have decided to stop purchasing special editorial sections from King Features, though they will continue to use King for comics and puzzles. King Features stated it is conducting its own internal review and has terminated its working relationship with Buscaglia, citing a policy against AI use, which Buscaglia said he was unaware of in his contracts.
The Sun-Times had been giving home delivery readers about 10 such special sections a year, charging extra, initially to help revenue. Outsourcing to King Features was a move to save staff time while aiming to meet revenue goals.
Despite this serious lapse, Bell indicated that Chicago Public Media will continue to explore the potential of AI in journalism. She clarified that AI would not be used to write stories but could assist in other ways, and a public policy on AI use is being developed.
Buscaglia, who had worked on similar assignments for King Features for about three years, accepted responsibility for the errors, attributing them to “AI naivety and lack of oversight.”
