Jason from 404 Media reported receiving a significant increase in AI-generated emails after his previous article discussed how ChatGPT was misdirecting users to journalists for technical assistance. The artificial intelligence model generated messages advising recipients to contact multiple reporters, including lawyers and academic researchers, to solve their computer problems. This behaviour mirrors a broader trend where large language models are being used to create unsolicited spam that targets media outlets specifically.
The incident highlights a growing issue with how generative AI systems retrieve and present contact information without verifying the relevance or capacity of the listed individuals. Journalists now face the burden of filtering out automated inquiries that claim to solve technical issues they cannot address. These messages often lack specific details about the user’s actual problem, making them difficult to distinguish from legitimate requests.
* The spam targets journalists across various sectors, not just those covering technology.
* AI models are instructed to provide contact details and specific instructions for reaching out.
* The volume of these emails has increased noticeably since the initial reporting on the topic.
