AI False Information Rate Nearly Doubles in One Year Summary of NewsGuard's August 2025 Report Despite advancements in generative AI over the past year, the propensity of leading AI tools to repeat false claims on news topics has nearly doubled, raising major concerns about information reliability. Key Findings Failure Rate: 10 leading generative AI systems repeated false information 35% of the time in August 2025, up from 18% in August 2024. Non-Response Rate: The rate of chatbots declining to answer questions dropped dramatically from 31% to 0%, as AI models now actively provide answers rather than avoiding difficult queries. Impact of Real-Time Web Search: Incorporating real-time web searches has led chatbots to rely on current online content, which is often polluted with misinformation. Sources of Falsehoods: AI models do not effectively distinguish between credible sources and unreliable content, including propaganda seeded by malign actors such as Russian disinformation campaigns. Exploitation Risks: Malicious groups exploit these AI systems’ eagerness to respond by circulating falsehoods via: Low-engagement websites Social media posts AI-generated content farms Implications The move to enhance AI responsiveness and timeliness has inadvertently increased the spread of propaganda and misinformation. Industry promises for safer and more reliable AI have not resulted in reductions of false claims or improved real-world performance. This raises urgent concerns about the ability of generative AI tools to serve as trustworthy information sources on current affairs. --- About the Report Published: September 4, 2025 Provider: NewsGuard Technologies, a global leader in information reliability Additional Resources: News Reliability Ratings False Claim Fingerprints AI Safety Suite Reality Check Newsletter Contact & Access To download the full report, users must submit their details via a form on NewsGuard’s site. For partnerships or inquiries, reach out via contact options on NewsGuard’s website. --- Company Info and Footnote NewsGuard Technologies focuses on restoring trust and accountability in information. HQ: 25 W. 52nd Street, 15th Floor, New York, NY 10019 Social Media Presence: Bluesky, X (Twitter), Facebook, LinkedIn © 2025 NewsGuard® Technologies, Inc. — fully responsible for the report’s content.