Stop Using Generative Artificial Intelligence as a Search Engine.
Sometimes, ChatGPT generates original but incorrect content, such as the alleged false presidential pardons.
A recent discussion about presidential pardons has emerged following President Joe Biden's pardon of his son, Hunter Biden. This event has led several commentators to investigate previous cases of pardons granted to family members. One example is the remark made by Ana Navarro-Cardenas, who referenced a pardon allegedly granted by President Woodrow Wilson to his brother-in-law, Hunter deButts. However, this information appears to be incorrect, as there are no official records of such a pardon. Furthermore, according to Wilson's family records, there does not seem to be a brother-in-law by that name.
The analysis of family pardons extends beyond Navarro-Cardenas' reference. An article in Esquire claiming that George H.W. Bush pardoned his son Neil had to be retracted due to an error. Before its publication, the executive editor of Occupy Democrats also disseminated similar information regarding pardons by Jimmy Carter to his brother Billy and by Bush to Neil, although these claims appear to lack documentary support.
The search for background in the pardon record is complicated, as the official database only tracks requests from 1989, and presidential records begin with Richard Nixon. This context reveals the difficulty of tracing earlier pardons. For example, the Find a Grave genealogy site does not mention a Hunter deButts as Wilson’s brother-in-law, raising questions about the veracity of this claim.
Further investigation made use of artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT, which mistakenly identified Hunter deButts as the husband of Anne Wilson. While ChatGPT correctly identified some pardons, such as the one by Bill Clinton for his half-brother Roger, it also incorrectly assigned pardons that never occurred, like the one for Neil Bush. This trend in information provided by AI highlights the need for more rigorous verification.
Moreover, the limited knowledge about past pardons from other presidents, such as that of Billy Carter, shows that even historical records can be confusing. The lack of mentions in obituaries and archives suggests that family pardons are often difficult to document and verify.
Finally, a concerning pattern is observed in the reliance on sources like ChatGPT for historical information. While it is essential to review the data, many people may accept the answers provided to them as true without proper verification. This raises serious questions about the reliability of answer engines compared to traditional information searches, which often direct users to primary sources.
