New York Times Cuts Ties With Freelancer Over AI Use in Book Review
The New York Times has severed its relationship with freelance writer Alex Preston after discovering he used an AI tool to draft a book review that inadvertently incorporated passages from a Guardian review of the same title.
A reader flagged the similarities between Preston's January 6 review of "Watching Over Her" by Jean-Baptiste Andrea and a Guardian review published in August. The Times investigated and Preston acknowledged using an AI editing tool on his draft. He said he failed to catch overlapping language from the Guardian piece before publication.
A Times spokesperson called the incident "a serious violation" of the paper's journalistic standards. "For staff journalists and freelance writers alike, reliance on A.I. and inclusion of unattributed work by another writer is a serious violation of The Times's integrity and fundamental journalistic standards," the spokesperson said.
The Times added an editors' note to the review disclosing the AI use and linking to the Guardian piece. Preston will no longer write for the paper. He had contributed six reviews between 2021 and 2026.
What Preston Said
Preston told TheWrap he used "an A.I. editing tool improperly on a draft I had written" and failed to catch the overlapping language. "I took responsibility immediately and apologized to The New York Times," he said.
Preston said he has not used AI on his books or other published pieces. He is a six-time author whose most recent book, "A Stranger in Corfu," was published last month. He also works as head of advisory for the Man Group, an investment management company.
Times Policy on AI Use
The New York Times requires any work using AI to be vetted by journalists and reviewed by editors. Articles must explain to readers how AI was used and what steps were taken to mitigate risks like bias or inaccuracy.
"The first principles of journalism should apply just as forcefully when machines are involved," the Times said in its public principles on generative AI.
Writers looking to understand proper AI implementation should explore Generative AI and LLM Courses and AI for Writers to learn how to use these tools ethically and avoid plagiarism issues.
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