PwC has allegedly published AI-generated reports containing false or fabricated sources, according to GPTZero. The firm's Middle East division reportedly included fabricated sources and false claims in four reports spanning 2024 to 2026. One of these reports, titled 'Transforming Governance,' is 84% likely to be entirely AI-generated, according to the analysis. PwC used the report to promote a product called 'Citizen Pulse,' claiming governments in Denmark, Saudi Arabia, the U.S., and Australia rely on it. However, no evidence supports these claims, according to GPTZero.
GPTZero identified a pattern of 'Vibe Citing,' where references are cited loosely, often without correct titles, URLs, or authors, and do not actually support the claims they are attached to. The same issue has been observed in academia. PwC Middle East told the Financial Times it takes accuracy seriously and is 'updating a limited number of supporting citations.' The firm did not explain how the errors got in. GPTZero had previously found fabricated sources at KPMG, Deloitte, and Ernst & Young.
PwC Middle East said it takes accuracy seriously and is updating citations, but did not explain how errors occurred. GPTZero noted that reports with the highest AI scores also had the most false sources. Whether this is an AI problem remains unclear, though the firm has faced similar issues at other firms. Source: thedecoder
