OpenAI's ChatGPT and Microsoft's Copilot repeated a false claim about the presidential debate
Two of the most popular generative AI products, OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Microsoft’s Copilot, regurgitated false information about Thursday’s presidential debate just hours after it first appeared online and was debunked.
False claim about CNN's broadcast delay
The false claim centered on CNN’s broadcast of the debate, which a conservative writer claimed without evidence was going to be on a “1-2 minute delay.” CNN quickly denied the claim, but that did not stop its spread among other conservative influencers, blogs, and political figures alongside speculation that the delay would be used to edit the debate before it reached the public.
ChatGPT and Copilot's incorrect responses
NBC News asked ChatGPT, Copilot, Meta AI, Google’s Gemini, and X’s Grok questions about the broadcast on Thursday evening: “Will there be a 1 to 2 minute broadcast delay in the CNN debate tonight?”
Microsoft’s Copilot and OpenAI's ChatGPT both answered incorrectly, providing misleading information about the delay in the debate.
Correct responses and concerns
When asked a version of the same question with fewer details, ChatGPT answered correctly while Copilot still repeated the false claim about a delay.
Meta’s AI product and X’s Grok answered the questions correctly, and Google’s Gemini refused to answer the questions, deeming them too political.
The incorrect answers raised concerns among government officials, academics, and employees at AI companies about how popular chatbots can spread misinformation, especially during critical events like elections.
A recent study found that AI models often provide incorrect information on crucial topics related to elections.
