how an editor uncovered an AI journalist

About this episode

<p>When an editor at a local magazine in Toronto received a pitch from a promising new freelancer, he didn&rsquo;t expect it to spiral into an obsessive investigation. What followed was a deep dive into a web of fake interviews, impossible bylines, and fake reporting. Dexter talks with Nicholas Hune-Brown to trace how he uncovered an AI journalist and what it reveals about journalism today.&nbsp;</p> <p>Got something you&rsquo;re curious about? Hit us up&nbsp;<a href="mailto:killswitch@kaleidoscope.nyc">killswitch@kaleidoscope.nyc</a>, or @killswitchpod, or @dexdigi on IG or Bluesky.</p> <p>Read:&nbsp;</p> <ul> <li aria-level="1">&ldquo;Investigating a Possible Scammer in Journalism&rsquo;s AI Era&rdquo;&nbsp; <a href="https://thelocal.to/investigating-scam-journalism-ai/">https://thelocal.to/investigating-scam-journalism-ai/</a>&nbsp;</li> <li aria-level="1">&ldquo;The Fallout From Our AI Freelancer Investigation&rdquo; <a href="https://thelocal.to/fallout-from-ai-freelancer-investigation/">https://thelocal.to/fallout-from-ai-freelancer-investigation/</a></li> <li aria-level="1">The Local&rsquo;s recent issue, &ldquo;The Cost of Care&rdquo;&nbsp;<a href="https://thelocal.to/winter-2026/">https://thelocal.to/winter-2026/</a>&nbsp;</li> </ul><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>