Media conglomerates introduce AI chatbot supported by the EU to combat disinformation.

      A consortium of prominent European media organizations has introduced a chatbot designed to tackle online misinformation. This tool, named ChatEurope, answers inquiries with information verified by journalists. It was established by a coalition of media brands spearheaded by Agence France-Presse, with support from fourteen additional news organizations such as France Médias Monde, Deutsche Welle, El País, and Romania’s RFI, alongside backing from the European Commission.

      DRUID AI, a Romanian enterprise AI platform, developed the chatbot, utilizing a language model created by the French startup Mistral. It operates on infrastructure built by XWiki, an open-source software provider based in Paris.

      According to Andreea Pleșea, co-founder and CEO of DRUID AI, the tool facilitates "natural, human-like conversations" that assist users in accessing credible information in their preferred language.

      ChatEurope functions similarly to ChatGPT but focuses on verifiable news. Users can pose questions—such as those regarding EU climate regulations or the geopolitical scenario in Ukraine—and the chatbot provides straightforward answers supported by reputable news sources.

      The replies offered by ChatEurope reference thousands of articles generated by the 15 consortium members, supplying answers with complete source citations on subjects including EU policy, climate issues, tech regulation, and geopolitics.

      ChatEurope is accessible in seven languages: English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Romanian, and Spanish. Its purpose is to address the increasing trend of individuals consuming unverified and fake news on platforms like X, TikTok, and Telegram.

      According to the latest European Parliament Youth Survey, over 40% of Europeans under the age of 30 rely on social media as their main news source. However, the prevalence of misinformation on these platforms poses a significant risk of diminishing trust in credible journalism, disrupting elections, and potentially inciting violence.

      “Media must urgently adapt to the widespread disinformation and the rise of artificial intelligence,” stated Christine Buhagiar, AFP’s director of development and diversification. “ChatEurope will revolutionize access to information about European affairs.”

      The chatbot targets a diverse audience ranging from students to policymakers. Although backed by the EU, the creators emphasize that the tool maintains full editorial independence and minimizes algorithmic bias.