tech

Senior European journalist suspended over AI-generated quotes

Mediahuis suspends Peter Vandermeersch, who says he ‘fell into trap of hallucinations’, after investigation by newspaper where he was once editor-in-chief

Senior European journalist suspended over AI-generated quotes

TL;DR

  • Peter Vandermeersch, a senior journalist at Mediahuis, has been suspended.
  • He admitted to using AI tools such as ChatGPT to generate quotes without proper verification.
  • The AI-generated quotes were found to be inaccurate, wrongly attributing statements to individuals.
  • An investigation by NRC, a Mediahuis title where Vandermeersch was previously editor-in-chief, highlighted the errors.
  • Mediahuis cited a breach of their strict rules on AI use, emphasizing diligence, human oversight, and transparency.
  • The company has removed some of Vandermeersch's articles from the Irish Independent website.