The parent company of Sports Illustrated is refuting allegations that the well-known magazine published articles under fake author profiles with fabricated bios and AI-generated photos. These accusations emerged following a report by Futurism that showcased screenshots from the Sports Illustrated website displaying these questionable author profiles and linking back to a site selling AI-generated headshots.
Sources cited in the report expressed astonishment at the existence of these fake authors, with one stating, “This person does not exist.” Furthermore, there are claims that the content itself was partially AI-generated, despite denials to the contrary.
In response, the Sports Illustrated Union expressed dismay over the situation, demanding transparency from The Arena Group, Sports Illustrated’s parent company. The union emphasized that the reported practices, if true, contradict their journalistic values and integrity.
The Arena Group, in a statement to Fox News Digital, denied the accusation of publishing AI-generated content, attributing the issue to a third-party company, AdVon Commerce, responsible for the licensed product reviews. The company clarified that AdVon’s content, including the disputed articles, is created and curated by human writers, editors, and researchers. However, it was revealed that AdVon used pen names in certain articles for author privacy, a practice that is now being rectified.
Regarding the use of AI in content creation, The Arena Group had previously announced its adoption of AI technology earlier this year, as reported by The Wall Street Journal. This technology facilitated the generation of new content based on archived information, with oversight from an editorial team to maintain quality and authenticity.
Despite these developments, the controversy surrounding AI-generated content and fabricated author profiles has raised concerns about journalistic ethics and transparency within the media industry.
