AI-powered disinformation
The World Economic Forum ranks misinformation and disinformation the #2 short-term global risk for 2026 — the third year in the top tier — as generative AI makes fakes cheap.
How this affects people
Fabricated content, deepfakes and coordinated influence campaigns erode trust, inflame polarisation and disrupt elections and public-health responses.
Countering it requires provenance standards, platform transparency, independent fact-checking and media literacy — not censorship of legitimate debate.
Look at what keeps the problem going
- 01Generative AI lowering the cost of fakes
- 02Engagement-driven algorithms
- 03Coordinated influence operations
- 04Declining trust in institutions
What could happen next
The future leaves room for choices. Compare the outlooks, check what supports them and notice where the evidence becomes less certain
Election and crisis targeting
Fabricated content targets elections and breaking news.
The future is not a timetable. These summaries reflect published scenarios and trends, with deeper uncertainty at longer horizons. Choices made now matter.
Where could a useful response begin?
Begin with a question you can investigate. Compare the sources and follow related briefings to see how the problem connects to other lives and places. This prototype does not accept proposals yet.
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