The Irish Times issued an apology to its readers after unintentionally publishing an article that was generated by artificial intelligence (AI), without the knowledge of the editorial team. The newspaper described the incident as a “deliberate and coordinated deception” and expressed regret for the oversight. Editor Ruadhán Mac Cormaic accepted responsibility for the incident and emphasized the need for stronger pre-publication controls to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
In a statement released on May 14th, The Irish Times acknowledged the importance of maintaining the integrity and accuracy of its content. The publication expressed its commitment to upholding journalistic standards and ensuring that all articles are thoroughly reviewed and verified before publication. The incident served as a reminder of the evolving challenges posed by emerging technologies, and the newspaper vowed to implement stricter measures to prevent AI-generated content from being published without proper oversight.
Moving forward, The Irish Times plans to enhance its editorial processes and implement more robust checks to prevent the inadvertent publication of AI-generated articles.The incident served as a valuable learning experience, prompting the newspaper to reinforce its commitment to responsible journalism and reliable reporting in the digital age.
Published on the morning of May 11th, the piece talked about the use of fake tans by Irish women from the perspective of a writer named Adriana Acosta-Cortez, who described herself as a “young immigrant woman in Ireland.”
According to Mac Cormaic, the so-called author engaged with the editorial desk and offered research and personal anecdotes. However, it was uncovered that the piece and the byline image were “at least in part” created via generative AI.
One user said he “can’t in good faith ever read the IT after this.”
Related: Amazon Enhances Logistics and Delivery Speeds with AI Implementation
The Irish Times is not the only publication to recently come under scrutiny for AI-related content.
