On Fact-Checking Service: Artificial Intelligence’s Uses in Ibero-American Fact-Checkers

To fight disinformation, fact-checking initiatives have used artificial intelligence tools as part of the investigation process, whether to monitor false narratives, to assist in the construction of content, or to allocate verifications more effectively. In this theoretical and empirical study, in-depth interviews were conducted with representatives of four fact-checking organizations: Polígrafo (Portugal), Chequeado (Argentina), Maldita (Spain), and Aletheia (Brazil). Our aim was to find out how they use AI in the fact-checking process, and it was concluded that each organization uses these technologies to respond to specific needs. This is why different levels of use were identified, from tooling (simple) to disruptive (advanced), which are related to their human structure and economic situation. The most developed Ibero-American organizations are on a par with their global counterparts.