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AI assistants are failing at delivering accurate news. A survey of 22 public service media outlets, including DW, discovered that ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, Google Gemini, and Perplexity AI provided incorrect or misleading responses in 45% of instances. Specialists indicate that this may destroy public confidence in AI-produced news.
Journalists from outlets such as the BBC (UK) and NPR (US) assessed AI answers for accuracy, sourcing, context, editorial judgment, and fact vs. opinion. Nearly half of all responses had at least one serious problem. Approximately 31% had serious sourcing issues, and 20% had significant factual mistakes. DW said that 53% of AI answers were seriously problematic, with 29% flagged specifically for accuracy issues.
A few mistakes were dramatic. AI assistants named Olaf Scholz as German Chancellor months after Friedrich Merz was inaugurated. Another reply named Jens Stoltenberg as NATO secretary general instead of Mark Rutte. Such errors demonstrate that AI tools generate outdated or erroneous information.
AI assistants are increasingly being utilized for information. According to the Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2025, 7% of online news consumers rely on chatbots, of which 15% belong to the group under 25 years. Mistakes made repeatedly, according to experts, may destroy public trust and, thus, discourage participation in democratic processes.
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The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and other media organizations are urging governments and AI companies to make information integrity laws a reality. They launched the ‘Facts In: Facts Out’ campaign, recommending that AI technologies handle news content responsibly.
“If facts go in, facts must come out. AI tools should not compromise the integrity of the news they consume,” the campaign urges.
BBC program director of generative AI Peter Archer said, “AI has potential, but people need to be able to trust what they read, watch, and see.”
The research reveals that as AI assistants become a significant source of news, supervision and accountability are key to preserving public trust.
