Since 2025, Robson quickly established himself as a prolific freelance columnist, with bylines in the Ottawa Citizen, the Montreal Gazette, The Hub, Western Standard, and Policy Options.

But there’s one problem: he doesn’t seem to exist. 

When a Turkish journalist began asking Canadian editors to verify Robson’s biographical details, they realized they couldn’t and that Robson’s persona and writing was A.I. generated. 

Who or what is behind this mysterious A.I. entity and what does it have to do with Morocco? 

Stuart Benson of the Hill Times joins Julian Abraham to go down the Daniel Robson rabbit hole. 

Host: Julian Abraham

Credits: James Nicholson (Senior Producer), Gökçe On

 (Fact Checking), Caleb Thompson (Mixing and Mastering), Jesse Brown (Editor)

Guest: Stuart Benson

Additional music by Audio Network

Vote for CANADALAND at the Signal Awards! Nominations include “My Chatbot Encouraged my Psychosis” for Best Writing and “The Freelancer’s Guide to Getting Revenge When You’ve Been Ripped Off” in Arts and Culture

Further reading: 

• Why Policy Options removed an article published under the name Daniel Robson – Policy Options
• Exclusive—Fake AI columnist dupes Canadian press to target Moroccan dissidents, and a Turkish ‘middleman’ – Türkiye Today
• AI fabrication suspected of writing dozens of articles in Canadian publications – The Globe and Mail
• Why the Citizen removed articles by Daniel Robson — and what we’re doing next | Ottawa Citizen
• A statement on articles by ‘Daniel Robson’ – The Hub
• Industry ‘frustrated’ as Liberals’ Bill C-39 falls short of proactive strike-prevention powers – The Hill Times
• Baked potato offered as incentive for attendees of Nova Scotia MAID info night – Toronto Sun   

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