The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Misinformation: Study of Selected Indian Metropolitan Cities

Artificial intelligence (AI) has changed the way of information dissemination and it is causing fear of misinformation. Using a mixed method approach (i.e., surveys (n=200) and interviews (n=52), this study examines how AI is used to spread and combat misinformation in Indian metropolitan cities. The findings show that public perceptions of misinformation are shaped by how aware and experienced people are of AI. Regression analysis (<tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">$\boldsymbol{\mathrm{R^2}=0.944}$</tex>) highlights AI experience as a key predictor of trust. Ethical concerns, need for transparency and human oversight, as well as qualitative insights are highlighted. AI enables information access, but its capacity for misinformation calls for responsible policies, ethical development of AI, and public education. The role of AI in fact-checking has risks, so policymakers and media can and must work together to reduce them. In future research, AI's long-run impact on misinformation in different cultures should be further analyzed.