Some ‘editors’ Sports Illustrated site are fake, photos made with AI

Some of the “editors” who allegedly published content on the Sports Illustrated website did not actually exist. The publisher behind the website reports this after a discovery of Futurism. The profile pictures of these authors were generated by artificial intelligence.

The editorial staff of Futurism noticed that certain editors of Sports Illustrated cannot be found on social media and that the writers’ work could not be found anywhere else on the internet. The editors also discovered that some editors’ profile photos were being offered for sale on a website that sells AI profile photos.

Futurism also spoke to an anonymous source familiar with the matter. He stated that there are ‘many’ fake authors on the Sports Illustrated website. According to a second source, some content on that website was also generated by artificial intelligence. Futurism also suspects that artificial intelligence has been used and refers to a certain text about volleyball that stated that the sport is sometimes difficult to practice, ‘especially if you don’t have a ball to practice with’.

Arena Group, the publisher behind Sports Illustrated, told CNN that the articles in question were written by employees of a third party: AdVon Commerce. According to Arena Group, some AdVon Commerce authors have used a pseudonym to ensure their own privacy, a practice that Arena Group reportedly does not allow. The publisher has therefore decided to remove all these articles. According to Arena Group, the articles are written and checked by people. The Sports Illustrated union has also spoken out on the issue. The association regrets being associated with artificial intelligence and believes that AdVon’s practices go against the association’s journalistic principles.

Update, 11.45 am: introduction adjusted. It initially read as follows: ‘Content has appeared on the Sports Illustrated website in which photos of editors have been generated by AI and a pseudonym has been used. The publisher behind the website has removed the articles, but claims that the texts were written by people.’ Also added a passage about the suspected use of AI to the main text.

Screenshot of Sports Illustrated website with pseudonymous author and AI profile photo. Source: Futurism