Fact-Checkers Are Fighting Fire With Fire as AI Falsehoods Spread
AI-generated misinformation doubled in a year at one newsroom — and so did the AI tools built to catch it. Here's what actually changed, and what didn't.
AI did not invent false claims, but it made them spread faster and handed fact-checkers the same technology to combat them. In 2025, Brazilian fact-checking organization Aos Fatos saw AI-generated content increase from 7% to 16% of claims investigated in a single year, more than doubling. This increase was driven by fabricated images and video rather than text.
Reuters Institute researchers noted that AI-powered disinformation in Brazil reached over 32 million views on TikTok in 2025, with additional engagement on Facebook and Instagram. While newsrooms must adapt to this shift, the fact-checking process remains unchanged. Fact-checkers like Aos Fatos have developed AI tools to aid their work, but the underlying issue is volume versus substance.
Both AI-generated content and human fact-checking use the same technology, whether to create fake images or scan and classify claims. The technology itself is neutral, accelerating whatever instructions and judgments sit behind it. The real story is that fact-checking teams and newsrooms must still perform the same verification process, regardless of AI advancements.
Written by urgent.news from HackerNoon's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
