Author Confirms AI‑Generated Quotes in Book, Keeps Using AI

TL;DR: Steven Rosenbaum admits his book contains AI‑generated quotes he did not verify, yet he says he will keep using AI because it helps him think.

When a journalist writes a book about how AI distorts truth, readers expect meticulous sourcing. A New York Times examination of Steven Rosenbaum’s latest work, *The Future of Truth: How AI Reshapes Reality*, uncovered several passages that were either misattributed or produced by AI tools without proper citation. Rosenbaum confirmed the findings, calling them "a handful of improperly attributed or synthetic quotes".

The investigation highlighted a quote falsely attributed to tech reporter Kara Swisher. Swisher told the Times she never uttered those words. The investigation linked another passage to Northeastern University professor Lisa Feldman Barrett, who said the lines do not appear in her writings and are factually incorrect. Rosenbaum said he is working with editors on a full citation audit to correct future editions.

Despite the errors, Rosenbaum told Ars Technica that he cannot abandon AI. He described the technology as "magical" because it connects ideas and offers thinking pathways he would not reach on his own. He acknowledged its flaws but said giving up AI would feel like returning to outdated tools such as Microsoft Word, which is not in his nature. What it means is that even authors who critique AI’s impact on truth can rely on the same tools that create the problems they warn about. The episode shows how generative AI can slip into scholarly work when verification steps are skipped, raising questions about accountability in AI‑assisted publishing. Readers may see more calls for transparent disclosure of AI use in nonfiction. What to watch next is whether Rosenbaum’s citation audit leads to industry‑wide standards for AI‑generated content in books, and if other authors will follow suit in disclosing or limiting AI assistance.