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# Sports Illustrated tries to get off on a technicality
- URL: https://birchtree.me/blog/sports-illustrated-tries-to-get-off-on-a-technicality/
- Published: 2023-11-29T01:59:39.000Z
- Updated: 2023-11-29T01:59:39.000Z
- Author: Matt Birchler
- Tags: Links, #Import 2025-03-29 19:29

Here’s a quote from Sports Illustrated in Maggie Harrison’s [Sports Illustrated Published Articles by Fake, AI-Generated Writers](https://futurism.com/sports-illustrated-ai-generated-writers?ref=birchtree.me):

> Today, an article was published alleging that Sports Illustrated published AI-generated articles. According to our initial investigation, this is not accurate. The articles in question were product reviews and were licensed content from an external, third-party company, AdVon Commerce.

It wouldn’t be fair to say they “published” AI generated articles from AI generated “writers” who don’t exist, it would be more fair to say they *licensed* AI generated articles from AI generated “writers”…and then published those to their site?

It’s a terrible look for SI, and a prime example of how *not* to use LLM tools. It’s also a prime example of the course-correcting backlash that comes from using the tools like this. I’m a proponent of LLMs, but I’m staunchly against using them like this. Nobody likes it and you’re gonna drown in bad PR if you get caught.