By Matt Novak
Publication Date: 2025-12-11 10:30:00
Everyone knows that AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Grok and Gemini can often hallucinate sources. But for the people tasked with helping the public find books and magazine articles, the fake AI bullshit is taking its toll. Librarians appear exhausted by requests for titles that don’t exist, according to a new piece from Scientific American.
The magazine spoke with Sarah Falls, director of researcher engagement at the Library of Virginia, who estimates that about 15% of all emailed reference questions they receive are generated by AI chatbots like ChatGPT. And the inquiries often include questions about fake quotes.
Additionally, Falls points out that people don’t seem to believe librarians when they explain that a particular dataset doesn’t exist, a trend that has also been reported elsewhere such as 404 Media. Many people really believe their stupid chatbot more than a human who specializes in finding reliable information every day.
A current…
