Recent news about political bias in chatbots highlights how far we’re drifting from truth. Historically, information—often half-truths and fiction—was used to impose order, not just reveal truth. Over time, these half-truths became accepted wisdom. As communication evolved from religious manuscripts to the internet, such ‘educated fictions’ multiplied, fragmenting society with competing narratives. What was once limited to religious conflict now divides us by politics, region, language, and more. Today’s influencers, more educated than ever, create fact-based fictions that shape people’s beliefs more deeply than simple traditional stories.
Search and social apps already create biased echo chambers, and new generations of applications may become even more extreme. Major companies like Google and Meta have yet to solve this personalization problem. As more foundational models become widely available, half-truths risk being further distorted without proper safeguards. Many users, unable to distinguish fact from fiction, are content as long as they hear what they want—often realising the consequences only after significant harm is done.
For example, YouTube addiction among India’s elderly is driving extreme thinking and resistance to other views. This generation, once informed by newspapers, now places similar trust in new media, leading to harmful outcomes. As chatbots become popular, their influence on younger generations could result in collective failure across all ages.
Solutions require platforms to take responsibility for their content, with transparent and diverse review panels to reduce bias. Users should have clear controls over what they see, not just rely on platform owners. Robust, ethical regulations—set independently by both governments and companies—are essential safeguards.
In the end, we must strive to foster a more informed, connected, and humane society.
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