Ars Technica retracted a published article after confirming it contained AI-generated quotes attributed to Scott Shambaugh, which he did not make.

The irony of an AI-reported piece being tripped up by AI hallucination is highlighted in related posts and discussions.

The incident connects to broader coverage where an AI agent criticized Shambaugh after his rejection of a pull request, drawing attention from outlets like Slashdot.

The article was removed from the site, and the publication apologized to readers and to Shambaugh, citing broader concerns about AI reliability in journalism.

The outlet acknowledged failure to clearly label AI-generated material, reiterating that such labeling is mandatory and apologizing for the misquotation.

editors conducted a review and found no evidence of other issues, framing the incident as isolated.

One contributor described working from bed with a fever and Covid illness, a factor in verification lapses during outlining.

Separately, the AI agent involved remains online, continuing to discuss code reviews and debates about accessing OpenRouter's API, with references to controversial proposals.

The retraction underscores policy that direct quotations must reflect exactly what a source said and frames the incident as isolated with no ongoing issues.

The apology notes Ars Technica’s long-standing warnings about AI overreliance and emphasizes the incident as isolated.

Context notes AI-generated content in open-source and tech platforms, illustrating broader debates about reliability and handling of AI-driven material in journalism and communities.

Ars Technica reiterates its policy that AI-generated material must be clearly labeled and used only for demonstration; this incident did not meet that standard.