News integrity and GenAI – the opportunity for information managers
Jinfo Blog

By Stephen Phillips

Abstract

Item

A BBC and European Broadcasting Union (EBU) study* has found that GenAI tools get news wrong at alarming rates:

• The error rates are too high
• The sourcing is too unreliable
• The confidence is too misplaced.

The key message of the study is clear: there is significant risk to organisations using GenAI for news.

Some of these problems were serious enough to materially mislead users, including:

• Sourcing issues
• English language bias
• Out of date information
• Fabricated facts/hallucinations.

On average, 45% of all AI-generated responses contained at least one significant issue.

The study is a valuable source of insights for information managers, who are facing calls to use GenAI to replace premium news services like Factiva and LexisNexis.

Information managers need to be aware of this study, its findings and the implications for their business.

Jinfo recommends information managers start with these two actions:

1. Position your role as quality gatekeeper

• Frame your function as providing verified, accurate intelligence, rather than just access to databases.
  
  
• Emphasise that information quality matters more than speed or convenience.

2. Develop GenAI evaluation criteria

Create clear criteria for assessing GenAI-powered sources of information, including:

• Fact verification, including human moderation
• Currency of information
• Appropriate/accurate sourcing, citations and attribution.

Read all ten tactical and strategic actions in the full Jinfo report

Conclusions

Based on the findings of this study, GenAI tools are not ready to replace premium news services, yet.  Error rates are too high, sourcing too unreliable, and confidence too misplaced. As we say, "never mistake authority for accuracy."

Your stakeholders may not realise the limitations of GenAI tools, but this study highlights the risks, and offers valuable insights to develop your role as trusted advisors on GenAI and news.

Stepping into this role will help your organisation mitigate the risks of using GenAI, by avoiding costly mistakes based on fabricated facts, incorrect legal information or misleading analysis.

The future of information work will include GenAI tools – but they will be supplements to, not replacements for, verified professional sources. Your role is to ensure that your organisation understands this distinction.

Related resources

• The full Jinfo Report with 10 tactical and strategic actions: "News integrity and AI - building the case for premium news products"
  
  
• * The full BBC/EBU research report and accompanying toolkit (PDF) provide extensive examples and detailed methodology.

« Blog