Business Insider recommended nonexistent books to staff as it leans into AI
Jun 02, 2025 - semafor.com
Business Insider recently encouraged its staff to integrate AI into their journalism practices. However, less than a year ago, the company faced an embarrassing situation when it inadvertently recommended non-existent books, likely generated by AI, to its staff. In May, a senior editor circulated a list of "Beacon Books," which included well-known business and tech nonfiction titles, but also featured several unfamiliar and seemingly fictitious books. These included titles like _Simply Target_ by Gregg Steinhafel and _Jensen Huang: the Founder of Nvidia_, neither of which could be verified as real publications.
Other dubious recommendations included _Mark Zuckerberg Autobiography: The Man Behind the Code_ by Jasper Robin, which lacks availability and reviews, and _The House of Morgan_ by Fredric Morgan, likely a mistaken reference to Ron Chernow's work. Additionally, _Snapchat 101_ by Andrew MacCarthy and _The Costco Experience_ by Celeste Olivier were listed, though no such books exist. Business Insider has not commented on the incident, highlighting the potential pitfalls of relying on AI-generated content without proper verification.
Key takeaways:
Business Insider is encouraging staff to incorporate AI into journalism.
Previously, Business Insider recommended non-existent books, possibly generated by AI, to staff.
Some recommended books were mistaken for real titles, leading to confusion.
Business Insider declined to comment on the book recommendation errors.
