Journalists Exploit Chatbots To Hijack Reputation Signals

BBC reporter Thomas Germain published a fabricated webpage claiming he was a hot dog-eating champion, which ChatGPT and Google Gemini ingested and presented as fact last week. A Business Insider reporter tried to replicate the prank but failed after AIs flagged Germain's page as satirical; Gemini also hallucinated additional fabricated details, illustrating how answer-engine optimization (AEO) can distort recommendations and reputations.