AI-Generated Reporters Uncovered at Florida News Website
The South Florida Standard, a local news website, has been taken down after an investigation revealed its entire editorial staff—including editor-in-chief Sofia Delgado, sports reporter DJ Lattimore, and tech reporter Marcus Vega—were AI-generated. The Florida Trib, in collaboration with the podcast Question Everything, uncovered the deception, finding that the site's reporters had no online presence and that some names matched individuals recently convicted of white-collar crimes. The investigation traced the operation to Drew Chapin, a former startup CEO who pleaded guilty to defrauding investors in 2021. Chapin ran 17 similar websites across the US, using AI to generate fake staff, bios, and articles. The site plagiarized content from Florida Politics. Kelly McBride of the Poynter Institute condemned the practice as harmful to democracy. The site has since disappeared from the internet.
Key facts
- South Florida Standard had AI-generated reporters including Sofia Delgado, DJ Lattimore, Marcus Vega.
- Investigation by The Florida Trib and Question Everything uncovered the fraud.
- Some reporter names matched individuals convicted of white-collar crimes.
- Operation linked to Drew Chapin, former startup CEO who pleaded guilty to fraud in 2021.
- Chapin operated 17 similar websites across the US.
- Websites used AI to generate fake staff, bios, and articles.
- Content was plagiarized from Florida Politics.
- Site has been taken down.
Entities
Institutions
- South Florida Standard
- The Florida Trib
- Question Everything
- Florida Politics
- Poynter Institute
Locations
- Florida
- United States
- Hialeah