Article Summary:
The White House’s “MAHA Report” on America’s health appears to have utilized artificial intelligence to generate numerous flawed scientific citations and references to non-existent studies. AI experts identified the use of “oaicite” markers, indicating the involvement of OpenAI’s technology, as well as hallmarks of AI-generated content such as repetitive and inaccurate information.
At least 37 of the 522 footnotes in the initial report were duplicated, while other citations incorrectly listed authors or pointed to studies that do not exist. Several dead links were also found among the references. This sloppy use of AI undermines the credibility and evidence-based nature of the report, which was led by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The White House has defended the report, stating that “minor citation and formatting errors” have been corrected, but the substance remains valid. However, experts argue that the report cannot be used for policymaking or serious discussion due to the unreliable nature of the citations.
The use of AI in generating scientific references is a growing concern, as it can lead to the creation of “hallucinated” studies that appear legitimate but are fictitious. This controversy over the MAHA Report highlights the need for rigorous fact-checking and transparent use of technology in government reports that aim to shape public health policy.
Article Excerpt:
Some references include “oaicite” attached to URLs — a definitive sign that the research was collected using artificial intelligence. The presence of “oaicite” is a marker indicating use of OpenAI, a U.S. artificial intelligence company.
A common hallmark of AI chatbots, such as ChatGPT, is unusually repetitive content that does not sound human or is inaccurate — as well as the tendency to “hallucinate” studies or answers that appear to make sense but are not real.
AI technology can be used legitimately to quickly survey the research in a field. But Oren Etzioni, a professor emeritus at the University of Washington who studies AI, said he was shocked by the sloppiness in the MAHA Report.
“Frankly, that’s shoddy work,” he said. “We deserve better.”