By Stuart Kerr, Technology Correspondent
Published: 26 July 2025
Last Updated: 26 July 2025
Contact: liveaiwire@gmail.com | Twitter: @LiveAIWire
Author Bio: About Stuart Kerr
In the digital age, information spreads at the speed of light—but so does disinformation. With fake news, deepfakes, and coordinated propaganda campaigns now weaponised by both state and non-state actors, artificial intelligence has emerged as both a threat and a powerful ally. Can AI be trusted to clean up the mess it helped create?
From Source to Surge: How AI Amplifies Lies
AI is notorious for enabling the rapid generation and dissemination of falsehoods. From synthetic video content to algorithmically-targeted misinformation, the tools that power generative models have been hijacked to distort public perception.
One need only look at the growing influence of synthetic media to understand the scale of the issue. According to a 2024 article, The AI Scam Epidemic, malicious actors increasingly use deepfakes to impersonate public figures and spread political or financial disinformation. These manipulations are so sophisticated that even experienced analysts struggle to separate reality from fiction.
AI doesn't just fabricate—it amplifies. Social media algorithms often reward sensationalism over substance, pushing false narratives into viral territory. This has prompted concern from institutions like the European Commission, which has prioritised the regulation of online platforms in its fight against digital manipulation.
Fighting Fire with Fire: AI as a Countermeasure
Yet the same machine learning tools that create disinformation are now being trained to detect and neutralise it.
Projects like those discussed in Digital Resistance showcase how AI is being used to track coordinated inauthentic behaviour and trace the origins of false stories. These tools analyse patterns across millions of data points, flagging anomalies that suggest bot networks or foreign influence operations.
Meanwhile, platforms and institutions are developing AI filters to screen content in real time. This is part of a broader framework laid out in UNESCO's governance guidelines, which urge governments and tech companies to embed ethical AI principles into platform design. These include transparency in moderation, data privacy, and algorithmic accountability.
The Grey Zone: Ethics, Censorship, and Platform Power
While AI has the technical capacity to detect disinformation, questions remain over who defines the "truth." In some contexts, anti-disinformation campaigns risk veering into censorship, silencing dissent under the guise of algorithmic enforcement.
This tension is explored in Synthetic Voices and Political Choice, which examines how AI-driven moderation can inadvertently suppress legitimate political expression. The debate over content moderation is no longer just a policy question—it is a battleground for democratic values.
Scholars like Philip Howard at the Oxford Internet Institute have long warned of this dilemma. In his NED Q&A on computational propaganda, he argues that while AI can fight disinformation, it must do so within frameworks that respect civic freedoms and avoid automated overreach.
Laying the Groundwork for Responsible AI
Efforts to establish global standards are gaining traction. UNESCO and the EU have both introduced ethical blueprints. In parallel, civil society organisations are producing research to support platform transparency and resilience.
The Democracy Playbook 2025, a comprehensive policy guide, outlines best practices for identifying and dismantling disinformation networks. It urges that AI governance be coupled with public education, open data standards, and cross-platform accountability.
Likewise, a global report by the Oxford Internet Institute titled Computational Propaganda Worldwide reveals just how entrenched automated manipulation has become—and why transparent AI countermeasures are vital.
Conclusion: Tools, Not Truth
AI will not save us from disinformation. But when wielded wisely, it can serve as a powerful tool in the defence of democratic dialogue. The goal is not for machines to decide what is true, but to help humans navigate the flood of information with greater clarity and accountability.
About the Author
Stuart Kerr is the Technology Correspondent for LiveAIWire. He writes about artificial intelligence, ethics, and how technology is reshaping everyday life. Read more