The Global Fact-Check Chatbot (GFC) has been officially constituted

The Global Fact-Check Chatbot (GFC) has been officially constituted, launching with 38 founding members (the list is available below).

This initiative, which originated during the convening in Bosnia in June 2024, was developed to address the urgent need for innovation in the field. Since then, the team has focused on engineering a multilingual, easy-to-use tool designed to fulfill two strategic objectives:

• Accelerate fact-checker verification while providing immediate insight into global disinformation trends.

• Serve as a robust verification resource for the general public, establishing a potential revenue stream to ensure the community’s long-term financial health.

As GFC transitions from its planning phase to complete operational execution, the following immediate next steps have been identified:

• The official GFC website will undergo a comprehensive revamp to reflect the current status and founding membership.

• GFC’s Slack workspace (within IFCN’s space) will be reorganized to centralize communication and foster more effective collaboration among the 38 members.

• Elections, as defined in the collective agreement, will proceed to establish the final working groups, beginning with the selection of the Governance Team. The new leadership is expected to be announced on January 23, 2026.

It should be noted that while the operational framework is being solidified, GFC membership will remain exclusive to the founding cohort of 38. However, applications from new organizations are expected to open in 2026.

Finally, sincere appreciation is extended to the current working committee members and all supporters—including IFCN and EFCSN—who have championed this vision. Their commitment to transparency and accuracy has been instrumental in reaching this stage.

THE 38 MEMBERS OF GFC IN 2025 ARE:

The Global Fact-Checking Chatbot (GFC) is a pioneering initiative led by members of the International Fact-Checking Network and close allies. It aims to become a cross-language, user-friendly AI platform that empowers fact-checkers – and eventually all citizens – worldwide to verify the accuracy of information with only a few clicks, whether on smartphones or desktops. The tool is envisaged to be especially effective during elections, public health crises, regional conflicts, and surges of misinformation on social media.

Conceived in 2024 and first discussed at Global Fact 11, in Bosnia, the project represents a new frontier in AI-powered fact-checking. It explores how AI-driven technologies can amplify the global impact of fact-checking efforts. GFC also addresses a critical void in the technological and informational ecosystem by consolidating thousands of fact-checking articles published around the world into a searchable, easily accessible database. One that will be governed by fact-checkers only.

Drawing inspiration from the #CoronaVirusFacts Alliance, GFC builds on this foundation to combat misinformation more effectively.

By harnessing collective expertise and advancing technological solutions, the chatbot seeks to redefine global efforts to combat disinformation and improve public access to reliable, verified information.