Administrative Officials Step Down Following ChatGPT Scandal
Seattle Worldcon 2025 and the Hugo Awards: A Controversial Year
The world of science fiction and fantasy has been abuzz with controversy this year, as the Seattle Worldcon 2025, where the prestigious Hugo Awards are annually presented, has been embroiled in a series of incidents.
The main controversy surrounds the awards ceremony itself. Reports suggest that the ceremony's host mispronounced many non-English and foreign names repeatedly, causing discomfort and embarrassment among attendees. An awkward moment occurred when a nominee was initially skipped, requiring audience intervention to correct the error.
These incidents overshadowed a convention that was otherwise successful in celebration and participation.
In a separate development, at least one Hugo nominee, Yoon Ha Lee, withdrew their book from contention due to the use of ChatGPT in Seattle Worldcon 2025's vetting process for program participants. Yoon Ha Lee linked to a blog post announcing the withdrawal of their book "Moonstorm" from consideration.
The use of a Large Language Model (LLM) in the vetting process created a furor on social media, with File 770 reporting on the issue. However, it's important to note that the Hugos themselves were not involved in the process using the LLM. The outputs from the LLM were carefully analyzed by multiple members of Seattle Worldcon 2025's team for accuracy, and no data other than a proposed panelist's name has been put into the LLM script.
In response to the backlash, Connie Bond, the chair of Seattle Worldcon 2025, acknowledged her mistake and expressed regret for the harm caused. Bond also announced the resignation of three leaders, Nicholas Whyte, Esther MacCallum-Stewart, and Cassidy, from their roles in the convention. The resignation was announced in a post on Bluesky.
Bond later posted an additional message on May 2, apologizing for using ChatGPT as part of the convention's program vetting. A post was shared today responding to File 770's latest post announcing the resignations, expressing respect and gratitude to the resigning trio.
Despite these controversies, no information was provided about any new developments regarding Marvel, Star Wars, Star Trek, DC Universe, or Doctor Who releases. The Seattle 2025 Worldcon, where the Hugos are annually presented, is scheduled for August 13-17. The Hugos will be handed out on August 16.
As the events unfold, we will continue to monitor for official statements or news updates post-event.
- Gizmodo posted an article on June 28, discussing the controversy surrounding the Seattle Worldcon 2025 and the Hugo Awards, highlighting the mispronunciations of non-English names, the awkward ceremony incidents, and the furor caused by the use of a Large Language Model (LLM) in the convention's program vetting.
- In a follow-up to the ongoing controversies at the Seattle Worldcon 2025, io9 reported on July 8 that decorated author Yoon Ha Lee had withdrawn their book "Moonstorm" from Hugo consideration, citing the use of LLM in the vetting process as the reason.
