Generative AI and Disinformation| Unveiling Disinformation Narratives With AI: Collaborative Insights from Fact-Checkers and Computer Scientists’ Work in Analyzing Climate Misinformation Narratives

Abstract

Fact-checkers are shifting from debunking isolated falsehoods to analyzing broader disinformation narratives, aiming to uncover common themes and underlying messages within these pieces of misinformation. This shift seeks to piece together the puzzle of the disinformation ecosystem, providing a comprehensive view to better understand how false ideas propagate and their ultimate objectives. Artificial intelligence (AI) plays a pivotal role, facilitating the analysis of a vast array of misinformation messages and synthesizing key insights. This study explores the collaborative efforts between fact-checkers and computer scientists through a case study focusing on the analysis of climate misinformation narratives following farmers’ protests in Europe within the Climate Facts Europe project, led by the European Fact-Checking Standards Network (EFCSN). The findings underscore AI’s role in helping journalists extract primary narratives and assess their impact over time.