You deserve the truth, not AI’s interpretation of it

We all want to understand the world around us. Whether it’s the war in Gaza, government policy on healthcare, or something as ordinary as changes to a bus route, people deserve accurate information they can trust.

Yet, in today’s digital environment, we are forced to question what is real and what is generated by artificial intelligence. AI-produced content is so convincing that it risks eroding the very notion of truth. This mistrust fuels conspiracy theories, division, and disengagement from democracy.

On this World News Day, we want to emphasise that the public is entitled to facts gathered, checked, and shared by professional journalists. But the technology companies creating AI systems are failing to meet their responsibility to the truth.

Research by the BBC this year found that half of AI-generated responses to news-related questions contained significant errors or omissions. These tools produced distorted facts, fabricated quotes, and decontextualised reporting without crediting the original source.

This is not harmless. It goes far beyond minor mistakes in recipes or holiday tips. A society without a common understanding of truth cannot make informed decisions, while individuals relying on distorted journalism risk being misled. The internet is already crowded with fake content designed to deceive, attract clicks, and serve vested interests. AI-generated material is often recycled from journalists’ work, stripped of context, and redistributed without permission or payment.

This subtle manipulation is more dangerous than obvious deepfakes because it appears plausible. It undermines trust in journalism at a time when local, regional, and independent media are already facing significant challenges.