AI ain't so smart after all

It was late in the first game of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals. I was catching up after a few days on a baseball stage manager job when I heard that Knicks guard Jalen Brunson was in foul trouble as his team battled the Indiana Pacers. I wanted to know how many points he had. 

So I asked Siri which told me to ask ChatGPT.

ChatGPT told me Brunson wasn’t playing in Game 1.

Oh.

If you paid a minute of attention to that game, you know that Brunson was in the game. In fact, he dropped 43 points by the end. (Sorry for the outcome Knicks fans.)

This, after one of the most embarrassing AI errors in media to date. People in publicity and media circles saw it coming. How did the Chicago Sun-Times not?

This is why legit PR specialists quadruple-check stats. To make sure you—and I—don’t get caught frauding. That’s why we use artificial “intelligence” to brainstorm. Or ask it how to mix the perfect dirty martini🍸. We know it has limits (pickles garnish a Bloody Mary, not a martini). Sometimes it’s helpful, but it’s a tool. Sometimes it’s a PIA.

The backstory

Last weekend, the Sun-Times and Philadelphia Inquirer ran a list of gotta-grab-it-summer reads. There was a problem. Only five of the 15 titles listed were real. 🚨Clarification — Per Nicole Schuman in PR News and The Washington Post, the writer of the article, Marco Buscaglia, admitted to using AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude to create the piece. Carry on …

There are lots of ways this cruised past editorial, among them, it was a purchased, syndicated list. (Psst – we have to edit those.) Not only was this embarrassing, but it further chipped away at readers’ trust. As if journalism doesn’t have enough problems.

So when your PR pal bugs you about accuracy, there’s a reason. Blaming a mess on AI will tick off your fans and rip your reputation whether you have a PR response or not.

NIL publicity returns to the front burner

Sports’ name, image and likeness debate never cooled off, but after more research than writing, I’m back with fresh publicity tips for NIL athletes, schools and businesses. I also shout out those who do it right as well as others who fail to communicate, in the NIL Edge. Like this …

If you’re observing a long Memorial Day weekend in the U.S., make it a safe and peaceful one. Also, Happy 🎾French Open🎾 if your eyes are on Roland Garros the next two weeks.

© 2025 Gail Sideman, gpublicity, SIDEbar

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