Several media outlets recently pulled down stories after discovering they were created with AI and falsely attributed to a supposed freelance journalist. According to a report from Press Gazette, six outlets—including Business Insider andWired—deleted articles credited to a writer named “Margaux Blanchard,” who now appears to be a fictitious persona.
One of the Wired articles taken down was a story about a Chicago-based officiant named Jessica Hu who specialized in digital ceremonies on platforms such as VRChat, Twitch, and Discord. In a note to readers, the outlet stated that after further review, the article did not live up to its publishing standards. Neither The Guardian nor Press Gazette was able to verify that Hu exists.
Business Insider ran two first-person essays in April, also attributed to Blanchard. One was about the challenges of remote working parents, and another claimed to recount the experience of having a first child at age 45. Both pieces were removed following an alert by Press Gazette about the author’s authenticity.
The outlet stated that the articles were taken down because they did not align with editorial standards. A spokesperson later said that the publication had strengthened its verification process in response.
In its own follow-up story, Wired admitted it had been duped, acknowledging that one article slipped through without proper checks. Editors explained that the pitch about niche online weddings initially seemed promising, and after some back-and-forth on payment and framing, the story was assigned. Red flags emerged soon after when the supposed writer struggled to complete payment paperwork and requested compensation via check or PayPal. A deeper review revealed the content was fabricated.
The alarm was first raised by Dispatch editor Jacob Furedi. He received a pitch from the writer describing a supposed secret training facility for investigating deaths in a Colorado mining town called “Gravemont.” The proposal was elaborate, mentioning scientists, former police officers, and miners handling human remains for forensic practice. But when Furedi dug deeper, he found no record of such a town and suspected the entire story was AI-generated.
When asked for proof, Blanchard provided vague explanations and requested payment for fieldwork. Furedi eventually confronted her by email, accusing her of fabricating stories, but received no response. Press Gazette also reported that Blanchard has failed to provide any evidence of being a real person.
This is not the first time AI-created content has caused trouble in journalism. Earlier this year, the Chicago Sun-Times mistakenly published an AI-generated book list.
These revelations of AI-generated content being passed off as work of humans raises concerns about the potential misuse of AI. Companies like D-Wave Quantum Inc. (NYSE: QBTS) that are working to commercialize different quantum computing solutions could have new avenues to explore by providing ways that such fictitious writers can be quickly detected before they provide misleading information that dents the reputation of trusted news outlets.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to D-Wave Quantum Inc. (NYSE: QBTS) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/QBTS
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