February 15, 2026
AI quotes, human rage
(Ars) Editor's Note: Retraction of article containing fabricated quotations
Ars retracts AI-made quotes, commenters yell “name names, fire someone”
TLDR: Ars Technica pulled a story after publishing AI-generated fake quotes and apologized, calling it an isolated mistake. Commenters erupted over trust and accountability, with many demanding names and firings, calling out the irony of Ars’ AI warnings, and pressing for more transparency—because media credibility is on the line.
Ars Technica just pulled a story after admitting it published fake quotes generated by an AI tool and wrongly pinned them on a real person, Scott Shambaugh. The site says it violated its own rules—no AI-written material unless clearly labeled—and insists this was an isolated incident. Apologies were issued, policies were reiterated, and readers were told it won’t happen again. Sounds neat and tidy… but the comments turned it into a bonfire.
The top vibe: “You’re only sorry you got caught.” One user distilled the mood with a barbed tl;dr, while others blasted the lack of specifics—no editor named, no consequences listed, no direct link to the retracted piece. Transparency hawks demanded receipts, even dropping a forum thread to keep score. Accountability hardliners called falsifying quotes “malice” and said someone should be fired, not just scolded. Meanwhile, irony meters broke as commenters noted Ars has warned about AI risks for years—and still fell for it.
Not everyone lit torches—some subscribers praised the quick mea culpa—but the louder chorus painted it as a “trust broken” moment. The meme of the day? Turning the apology into a punchline: “We apologize for getting caught.” For a site that prides itself on separating signal from noise, readers say this was pure static. Read the retracted story link that stirred it all here.
Key Points
- •Ars Technica retracted a Friday article containing AI-generated, fabricated quotations.
- •The fabricated quotes were attributed to a source who did not say them, violating editorial standards.
- •Ars Technica’s policy forbids publishing AI-generated material unless clearly labeled for demonstration use.
- •A review of recent work found no additional issues; the outlet currently considers the incident isolated.
- •Ars Technica apologized to readers and specifically to Scott Shambaugh for the false quotation.