Experts Warn: AI Fuels Rise in Climate Misinformation

(MENAFN) Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming the creation and dissemination of information, reshaping both communication and knowledge-sharing globally. While the advancements are largely hailed, AI’s growing accessibility has also triggered a rise in climate-related misinformation, prompting urgent concerns.

The surge in AI-driven misinformation has become so alarming that the World Economic Forum’s 2025 Global Risks Report lists misinformation—false content like rumors or hoaxes—and disinformation—deliberate fabrications—as some of the most critical global threats.

Amid this rising concern, climate change has emerged as a primary target. Experts are warning that AI could significantly accelerate the spread of false narratives surrounding climate science.

One key voice in this conversation is Victor Galaz, an associate professor at the Stockholm Resilience Center. Galaz, who co-authored a recent report examining the intersection of AI and climate misinformation, emphasized the increasingly dangerous role AI plays in manipulating digital ecosystems.

Speaking with media, Galaz highlighted how AI is intricately woven into digital media landscapes, steering what users see through algorithmic content recommendations. AI is not only used to create fake social media profiles but is also employed to generate text, images, and videos that mimic human output.

“The accessibility of tools that produce content indistinguishable from human output is just wider now,” Galaz explained. “That means it’s easier to produce false content in large volumes.”

The researcher pointed out that this trend poses serious risks, particularly when AI-generated content interacts with large language models or chatbots, which can subtly shape public opinion.

“It’s difficult to say whether the volumes of misinformation have increased, or disinformation in general has increased in the climate space. We just know that it’s there,” Galaz said. “And it could be all the way from people challenging whether this is climate change or saying that climate change is a hoax.”

AI’s impact isn’t confined to generating falsehoods—it also complicates the ability of scientists to deliver accurate, evidence-based messaging. “It is not helping us to educate people on these issues. It is not helping us elevate factually based information about climate change in digital media,” Galaz lamented.

Further exacerbating the problem, Galaz warned of a troubling rise in AI-produced fake academic research. “Suddenly, not only is the information we’re seeing online questionable, but some of it is being linked to things that look like research—but are not,” he said, underscoring the risks posed by AI in the realm of scholarly work.

As AI technology continues to evolve, experts are urging vigilance in combating the digital spread of climate misinformation, recognizing that the stakes for accurate public understanding are higher than ever.

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