Are these “articles” written by AI or do professional writers seriously just not proofread (or both)?

[thekollieman]

Storylines to watch in all 31 men's college basketball conferences

Will UConn or St. John's win the Big East? Here are questions that could shape every league in 2025-26.

www.espn.com

Just skimmed through this and two blatant mistakes stood out to me: it says Matt Painter led Purdue to the NCAA title game in 2023 (it was actually 2024, of course) and said Aidan Mahaney was a two-time ACC first team player (obviously he never played in the ACC). I notice typos and errors like this in what are ostensibly professional pieces of writing on a regular basis and I just cannot fathom how editorial standards could be so low.

 

[auror]

Probably just typos. I mean 2023-2024 isn't too far off from just saying 2023 and WCC to ACC is one letter off on the keyboard.

But yeah, nobody pays for real editors anymore.

 

[SwingDog]

I've wondered the same thing, and I'm hedging toward more and more stuff being done by AI. I've always considered SI to be reputable and credible, but as of late I've noticed errors in their articles too.

These are strange times in which there really seems to be an alternate reality. You sometimes don't know if the voice your hearing, person on screen, or footage your seeing is real or not- and it's becoming more and more difficult to tell.

 

[RichZ]

I see a steadily growing number of very easily ID'd AI written articles on the web these days.

 

[cullaville]

Probably just typos. I mean 2023-2024 isn't too far off from just saying 2023 and WCC to ACC is one letter off on the keyboard.

But yeah, nobody pays for real editors anymore.

Even if a typo by the author these things should be caught by proofreader/fact checker and editor

 

[Samoo]

I've wondered the same thing, and I'm hedging toward more and more stuff being done by AI. I've always considered SI to be reputable and credible, but as of late I've noticed errors in their articles too.

These are strange times in which there really seems to be an alternate reality. You sometimes don't know if the voice your hearing, person on screen, or footage your seeing is real or not- and it's becoming more and more difficult to tell.

SI has gone to the dogs and the folks that currently own the masthead utilize AI a lot.

 

[HooperScooper]

SI has gone to the dogs and the folks that currently own the masthead utilize AI a lot.

I was going to say that there really isn't a Sports Illustrated any more. It's SI in name only because someone bought the name.

 

[Lafayette]

I was going to say that there really isn't a Sports Illustrated any more. It's SI in name only because someone bought the name.

Name was wrong for the magainze - more like sports pictured. Not too many "illustrations" in there.

 

[cullaville]

SI has gone to the dogs and the folks that currently own the masthead utilize AI a lot.

When SI went to monthly I let my subscription lapse. SI came back with a decent offer so I renewed.

At the end of the term I didn't renew. SI called and I said I did not want to renew. They asked why and I told them to me it was boring and uninteresting.

The person on the phone then said to me "Do you want to order a gift subscription for someone?"

Didn't you listen to what I just said?

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I could well be wrong but I would imagine that an AI article would at a minimum be checked for spelling and grammatical errors while being created.

 

[Matrim55]

Even if a typo by the author these things should be caught by proofreader/fact checker and editor

Those don't exist anymore.

 

[JohnFSilver]

Storylines to watch in all 31 men's college basketball conferences

Will UConn or St. John's win the Big East? Here are questions that could shape every league in 2025-26.

www.espn.com

Just skimmed through this and two blatant mistakes stood out to me: it says Matt Painter led Purdue to the NCAA title game in 2023 (it was actually 2024, of course) and said Aidan Mahaney was a two-time ACC first team player (obviously he never played in the ACC). I notice typos and errors like this in what are ostensibly professional pieces of writing on a regular basis and I just cannot fathom how editorial standards could be so low.

Because they are done by non journalists. ESPN doesn't like to hire journalists for its social teams.

No one has experience either.

News is over. No one will pay for it anymore.