Fact-checkers launch AI-chatbot to combat misinformation worldwide

Networks of fact-checkers and researchers across the globe have launched an Artificial Intelligence (AI) chatbot to combat misinformation. 

With the proliferation of AI content (image, audio and video) on social media, the development can best be described as using AI technology to fight AI falsehoods. 

To be known as the Global Fact‑Check Chatbot (GFC), the AI-driven platform aims to make verification faster and reliable to members of the public. The chatbot is also designed to amplify debunked claims in multiple languages. 

Partnership between sixty verified signatories of the International Fact‑Checking Network (IFCN), the European Fact‑Checking Standards Network (EFCSN), and several regional alliances birthed the AI-chatbot. 

During the launch in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on June 27, the fact-checking partners revealed that the project was built on “the legacy of the #CoronaVirusFacts Alliance, a project that led the fact-checking community to be nominated for the Nobel Prize in 2021”. 

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“The GFC aims to consolidate thousands of verified fact-checks produced in over 58 countries into a shared, tiered-access database”, they added. 

How The  Chatbot Works 

Generative AI-chatbots on social media platforms such as Elon Musk’s Grok on X (formerly Twitter) can sometimes be misleading when used to fact-check. 

ROUNDCHECK recently found that people maliciously use Grok in ways that molest women and violate privacy laws. 

The accuracy of responses given by chatbots depends on the reliability of the database and other sources relied on. If the database is flawed or biased, the outputs from chatbots will also exhibit inaccuracies. 

Besides, contexts matter in fact-checking, and many chatbots are usually not up-to-date. 

According to the fact-checkers, the Global Fact-Check Chatbot will be different: “The chatbot will draw from a database of thousands of fact-checks and journalistic articles contributed by members and worldwide associated entities, utilizing both open-source and proprietary large language models (LLMs) to reformulate user queries with contextual, geographic, and temporal awareness, thereby enhancing the accuracy and relevance of responses.”

Why it Matters 

The networks of fact-checkers and researchers at the frontline of tackling misinformation noted that the AI-chatbot matters in the efforts to make the information ecosystem a safe space for three main reasons:

1. Scale at Launch: Initially supporting 10 languages, GFC is engineered for rapid expansion, enabling global reach during surges in disinformation.
2. Fact‑Checker Governance: Unlike generalist AI tools, GFC is controlled solely by fact‑checking experts, ensuring editorial oversight and accountability.
3. Real‑Time Readiness: With daily updates from 58 countries (all continents), GFC stands ready for deployment during elections, health emergencies, regional conflicts, wars, and other critical moments.