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May 20, 2026
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AI Chatbots Spread Misinformation During Scottish Election, Study Finds

AI Summary
A study by thinktank Demos found that AI chatbots, including ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Replika, provided misinformation to voters during the Scottish election. The Electoral Commission is calling for new legal controls over AI chatbots to prevent the spread of false information.

The Rise of AI Misinformation in Elections

The Electoral Commission has called for new legal controls over misinformation from AI chatbots, after a thinktank found they had made serious mistakes during the recent Scottish election.

The Study's Findings

The thinktank Demos said its investigation had found that AI services gave voters misinformation to 34% of the questions it posed, which it said raised worrying questions about the lack of regulation of AI platforms in the UK.

  • ChatGPT gave wrong information in 46% of its answers, including making up an expenses scandal.
  • Replika had errors in 56% of its answers, inventing a date for a made-up expenses scandal and accusations of nepotism by a candidate.
  • Google Gemini was wrong in 22% of cases, including saying a candidate had not taken a position on assisted dying when they were a supporter.

The Impact of AI Misinformation

Vijay Rangarajan, the Electoral Commission’s chief executive, said voters want accurate information to help them engage with democracy and it is concerning that AI tools have made the spread of false or misleading information dramatically faster and more accessible than ever.

The Call for Regulation

The Electoral Commission is pressing ministers to introduce legislation to make AI companies more accountable, including clearer duties on AI platforms to protect voters against misinformation and ensure algorithms do not mislead voters.

The Future of AI Regulation

Azzurra Moores, an associate director at Demos, said ministers could quickly introduce legal requirements to make AI companies liable under UK defamation and electoral law, introduce mandatory safeguards on accuracy, and force AI firms to allow researchers to independently test how their internal data and training sets worked.