Social Science Research Council Research AMP Just Tech
Citation

On the same page? Experts are mostly, but not always aligned about disinformation in times of generative AI

Author:
Weikmann, Teresa; Wouters, Ferre; Tulin, Marina; Hameleers, Michael; De Vreese, Claes; Zarouali, Brahim; Opgenhaffen, Michaël
Publication:
Harvard Kennedy School Misinformation Review
Year:
2026

We conducted an expert survey of almost a hundred academics, fact checkers, and journalists who actively work towards mitigating disinformation and providing policy advice in the European context to examine whether they share views on generative artificial intelligence’s (AI) role in disinformation. Findings show that fact checkers feel more confident in tackling AI-generated disinformation than academics or journalists, though experts broadly agree on the risks it poses for democracy and journalism. Regarding the attribution of responsibility to combat AI-generated disinformation, fact checkers place more onus on online platforms, while academics assign greater responsibility to news users.