Amazon Listed 90-Page AI Biography of Kashmir Hill Without Her Consent
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jul 16
Amazon Listed 90-Page AI Biography of Kashmir Hill Without Her Consent
1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jul 16
Summary
A 90-page book titled “The Biography of Kashmir Hill” appeared on Amazon in August 2025 without the New York Times reporter’s knowledge, and she says it reads like AI-generated “slop.”
Hill found the hardcover after a text from an acquaintance, then traced it to an author profile for “John Crane Miller,” who published 10 journalist biographies in a single week using what appeared to be a stock-photo identity.
Amazon’s recommendations led to similar titles, including books by “Diane W. Gray,” a prolific author who released 60 celebrity biographies last summer; at least one drew a one-star review calling it “A.I. SLOP.”
The episode highlights how generative AI is flooding online marketplaces with unauthorized biographies built from public internet facts, often without contacting the people portrayed.