In today’s digital age, it has become increasingly more difficult to discern fact from falsity. In truth, it feels more common for any post, comment, or media headline to be laden with misinformation. The internet is a source of reliable information to many, and as such one must question the reason why disinformation is becoming so widespread. By understanding why misinformation is populating our feed, we will be better equipped at recognizing what is reality and what is fiction.
The reasons behind false and inaccurate information on the web:
According to an article by the American Psychological Association, some of the most pertinent reasons behind the web’s issue with false information is due to echo chambers, search engine optimization , and click bait. While the internet has the positive effect of bringing like-minded people together, this aspect often becomes dangerous when it creates secluded online communities such as echo chambers. Perpetuating the same opinions and ignoring other viewpoints is the perfect breeding ground for misinformation to spread. Additionally, the prioritization of algorithms and search engine optimization, or SEO, promotes dubious methods for garnering attention towards internet content. Nowadays, media seems to be more focused on using the “right” words that will shoot them to the top of the Google results page, rathering than focusing on spreading quality information. Finally, phenomenons such as click-bait and rage-bait are key to how false information draws people in and continues spreading across the web. Much of the internet content today manipulates people’s emotion, drawing out negative feelings such as sadness or anger in order to gain views and attention. When unfounded statements get more attention then more people become exposed to it, feeding a vicious cycle of disinformation.
Check out this article by the American Psychological Association to understand the rising issue of disinformation on the web.
AI and how it correlates to misinformation on the internet:
Furthermore, when thinking of how misinformation spreads on the internet, it is impossible to ignore the rise of Artificial Intelligence as it correlates to this issue. The advanced state of AI and its prominence on the internet has made it near impossible to find content without AI or any kind of AI enhancements. First and foremost, media relying on AI as a reliable source frequently base their content on AI “hallucinations”, or made-up information that the AI has created based on internet data. As such, anything utilizing AI as their primary source is more often than not dispelling untrue or made-up information to the public. Furthermore, AI can create fake images, news articles, and other forms of media with scary accuracy. What might seem like an authentic, human-produced media post is in actuality completely artificial. When such spurious information is perceived as true by many, then misinformation is more likely to spread.
As such, when researching how AI produces accurate information on a topic I already know, I found that I ran into issues identical to the ones listed above. Altogether, I asked three different AI models how to make banana bread, with the interactions listed below. The prompt I used for each was “Can you please explain to me the steps and ingredients needed in preparing a loaf of banana bread?”, with an included question of “Please include sources” if the AI did not list them the first time.
Claude Haiku 4.5 (Tokens used: 5665)
Banana Bread: Ingredients & Steps
Ingredients:
- 3-4 ripe bananas, mashed
- 1/3 cup butter, melted
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- (Optional: 1/2 cup walnuts or chocolate chips)
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a loaf pan.
- Mix wet ingredients: Combine mashed bananas, melted butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla in a large bowl.
- Mix dry ingredients: In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Combine: Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Don’t overmix. Fold in nuts or chocolate chips if using.
- Pour: Transfer batter to the prepared loaf pan.
- Bake: Bake for 60-65 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Tips: Use very ripe bananas (spotted skin) for maximum sweetness and moisture. Don’t overmix the batter—lumpy is fine and keeps the bread tender.
Would you like me to create a downloadable recipe card for you?
I should be transparent: the recipe I provided is a standard banana bread formula that’s widely available across cookbooks and cooking websites. I didn’t cite specific sources because I drew from general culinary knowledge rather than searching for a particular recipe.
If you’d like properly sourced information, I can search for banana bread recipes from reputable sources like:
- AllRecipes
- Food Network
- Bon Appétit
- The New York Times Cooking
- King Arthur Baking Company
Would you like me to search for a specific banana bread recipe with proper attribution so you have a cited source? That way you’ll have a direct link and clear credit to where the recipe comes from.
Mistral-Large-3 (Tokens used: 4279)
Here’s a simple, classic recipe for banana bread, including the ingredients and step-by-step instructions:
Ingredients
(Makes 1 standard loaf, about 9×5 inches)
- 3 ripe bananas (the spottier, the sweeter!)
- 1/3 cup (75g) melted butter (or vegetable oil)
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100g) brown sugar (packed)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups (190g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
- 1/2 cup chopped nuts or chocolate chips (optional, e.g., walnuts or pecans)
Steps
1. Preheat the Oven
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with butter or line it with parchment paper.
2. Mash the Bananas
- In a large bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until smooth (a few small lumps are fine).
3. Mix Wet Ingredients
- Stir in the melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla extract until well combined.
4. Add Dry Ingredients
- Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the banana mixture and stir.
- Gently fold in the flour (and cinnamon, if using) until just combined. Do not overmix.
- If using, fold in nuts or chocolate chips.
5. Pour into Loaf Pan
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
6. Bake
- Bake for 50–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- If the top browns too quickly, tent the pan with aluminum foil.
7. Cool
- Let the banana bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Tips for Success
- Ripe bananas: The spottier, the better! They’re sweeter and mash more easily.
- Don’t overmix: Stir just until the flour is incorporated to avoid a dense loaf.
- Add-ins: Customize with nuts, chocolate chips, or dried fruit.
- Storage: Wrap tightly and store at room temperature for 2–3 days, or refrigerate for up to a week. It also freezes well!
Here’s a simple, classic recipe for banana bread, including the ingredients and step-by-step instructions:
Ingredients
(Makes 1 standard loaf, about 9×5 inches)
- 3 ripe bananas (the spottier, the sweeter!)
- 1/3 cup (75g) melted butter (or vegetable oil)
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100g) brown sugar (packed)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups (190g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
- 1/2 cup chopped nuts or chocolate chips (optional, e.g., walnuts or pecans)
Steps
1. Preheat the Oven
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with butter or line it with parchment paper.
2. Mash the Bananas
- In a large bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until smooth (a few small lumps are fine).
3. Mix Wet Ingredients
- Stir in the melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla extract until well combined.
4. Add Dry Ingredients
- Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the banana mixture and stir.
- Gently fold in the flour (and cinnamon, if using) until just combined. Do not overmix.
- If using, fold in nuts or chocolate chips.
5. Pour into Loaf Pan
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
6. Bake
- Bake for 50–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- If the top browns too quickly, tent the pan with aluminum foil.
7. Cool
- Let the banana bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Tips for Success
- Ripe bananas: The spottier, the better! They’re sweeter and mash more easily.
- Don’t overmix: Stir just until the flour is incorporated to avoid a dense loaf.
- Add-ins: Customize with nuts, chocolate chips, or dried fruit.
- Storage: Wrap tightly and store at room temperature for 2–3 days, or refrigerate for up to a week. It also freezes well!
GPT-5.6-Luna (Tokens used: 18436)
Ingredients
- 3 ripe bananas, mashed
- ½ cup melted butter
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Optional: ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ½ cup chopped nuts, or chocolate chips
Steps
- Preheat the oven to 350∘F350^\circ\text{F}350∘F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper.
- Mash the bananas in a large bowl.
- Stir in the melted butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture. Stir just until combined—don’t overmix.
- Fold in nuts or chocolate chips, if using.
- Pour the batter into the loaf pan.
- Bake for เป็น 50–60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Banana Bread
This version makes one loaf in a standard 9×5-inch loaf pan. It is adapted from tested recipes by Food Network and King Arthur Baking. 1 2
Ingredients
- 3 very ripe bananas, mashed
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted or softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Optional: ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans, or chocolate chips 1 2
Steps
- Preheat the oven to 350∘F350^\circ\text{F}350∘F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan. 2
- Mash the bananas in a large bowl.
- Stir in the butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, if using.
- Add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture. Stir just until the flour disappears; avoid overmixing. 1 2
- Fold in nuts or chocolate chips, if desired.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
- Bake for approximately 50–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Baking time can vary by oven and recipe. 1 2
- Cool the loaf in the pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer it to a rack to cool completely before slicing. 1 2
Very ripe bananas are recommended because they provide stronger banana flavor and are easier to mash. 3
Sources
- King Arthur Baking, “Banana Bread” 1
- Food Network Kitchen, “The Best Banana Bread” 2
- Food Network, “Banana Bread Recipe” 3
- [1]
https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/banana-bread-recipe - [2]
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/classic-banana-bread-3361704 - [3]
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/banana-bread-recipe-1969572
A summary of my research:
Overall, the sources each AI models used are reputable brands with a reputation for producing solid recipes. However, it is clear that the AI mashed together information from the most well-known and recognizable food websites, instead of taking the time to analyze which source produced the best method of baking banana bread in total. The recipe is essentially a blend of completely different recipes, which can produces unsatisfactory results if produced in real life. Most notably, almost every iteration of the AI’s banana bread recipe called for melted butter, when it is best to use softened butter. Additionally, some of the steps for how to mix together the ingredients are vague. It is best to be as specific as possible, in order to avoid kitchen mishaps. As such, any human-produced and tested recipe would have called for creaming together the butter and sugar, adding the eggs one at time. They also would have specified to slowly incorporate the dry into the wet to avoid over-mixing. In sum, while the AI-created recipes produced a general idea of my knowledge of baking banana bread, it is no where near specific enough or even functional as a real banana bread recipe. However, if I were to choose which model seems the best out of the rest, I would attempt to make the recipe produced by the GPT-5.6-Luna model.
