Sports Illustrated Faces Backlash for AI-Generated Articles and Fake Authors

Sports Illustrated has deleted articles from its website after it was revealed that the magazine had published them under fake author names and AI-generated profile photos. The articles were accompanied by AI-generated profile images that were found for sale on digital marketplaces. The magazine's parent company, The Arena Group, stated that the articles were created by a third-party company, AdVon Commerce, and that they are investigating the matter. This is the second time AdVon has been involved in an AI publishing controversy, following a similar incident with Gannett-owned Reviewed. The Sports Illustrated Union and writers expressed their disgust and concern over the alleged practices, stating that they violate journalistic ethics and damage the credibility of the publication.