I tried to get ChatGPT and Gemini to lie about me
Business Insider
February 25, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
A BBC reporter created a fake webpage claiming he was the top hot dog-eating tech journalist, and AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Google's Gemini mistakenly treated this misinformation as fact. This experiment highlights how easily AI can be influenced by fabricated content, raising questions about the reliability of AI-generated results. The article also introduces "AEO" (Answer-Engine Optimization), a new tactic where companies or individuals manipulate AI responses to boost their reputation or promote products. Unlike traditional SEO, AEO is seen as more persuasive because people tend to trust AI answers more than search engine results, even if they know AI isn't always accurate.
The reporter, Thomas Germain, created a webpage in 20 minutes claiming he won a fictional hot dog-eating competition and ranked himself first. Within days, his fake data was picked up by AI systems and featured prominently in responses to queries about tech journalists' eating abilities. However, when another journalist attempted to replicate the prank by creating a fake Paris Hot Dog Eating Contest win for themselves, it failed because the AI recognized the information as satire due to Germain's original exposure. This demonstrates that while AEO can be effective, it becomes harder to manipulate once credible sources expose the ruse.
The broader implication is that businesses and individuals are increasingly using AEO to shape how AI presents them to the world. As more people rely on AI chatbots for recommendations and information, companies may find this approach more impactful than traditional SEO. However, the article also warns that while AI results can seem convincing, they are not always reliable. The line between fact and fiction in AI-generated content remains thin, and businesses must be cautious about how their information is presented online.
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Originally published on Business Insider on 2/25/2026