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Journalist Suspended After Publishing False AI-Generated Quotes

3/21/2026

Summary

Story summary

Peter Vandermeersch, a senior journalist at Mediahuis, has been suspended after admitting to using AI tools that produced false quotes.
He acknowledged making errors by failing to verify AI-generated summaries before publishing them in his Substack newsletter.
An NRC investigation revealed that several quotes attributed to individuals were inaccurate.
Mediahuis emphasized its commitment to reliable journalism and strict AI usage guidelines, and the suspension signals its dedication to journalistic integrity.

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Story summary

Peter Vandermeersch, a senior journalist at Mediahuis, has been suspended after admitting to using AI tools that produced false quotes.
He acknowledged making errors by failing to verify AI-generated summaries before publishing them in his Substack newsletter.
An NRC investigation revealed that several quotes attributed to individuals were inaccurate.
Mediahuis emphasized its commitment to reliable journalism and strict AI usage guidelines, and the suspension signals its dedication to journalistic integrity.