ChatEurope launches AI chatbot for real-time verified news
A consortium of major European media outlets has launched ChatEurope, an artificial intelligence-powered chatbot designed to provide users with journalist-verified information in real time across seven languages.
Backed by the European Commission, ChatEurope aims to address the growing problem of online disinformation by enabling users to access trusted information on topics such as EU policy, climate, technology regulation, and geopolitics, with each answer citing its source.
Media-backed initiative
The ChatEurope initiative was developed by a consortium of 15 European media organisations, including Agence France-Presse, Deutsche Welle, France Médias Monde, El País, and Romania's RFI. The platform is built on the DRUID AI agentic platform, integrating a language model developed by Mistral AI, and is accessible to users across Europe.
The chatbot operates in English and six other European languages, providing users with answers based on information drawn from thousands of journalist-produced articles provided by consortium members. As misinformation becomes more widespread on digital platforms including TikTok and Telegram, ChatEurope offers a direct alternative for those seeking verified, reliable news and information.
Real-time, cited responses
"ChatEurope is a striking example of the genuine value that DRUID's AI agents bring to society: they enable access to credible information through natural, human-like conversation held in the user's mother tongue. We are proud to support this initiative and help reshape the way citizens across Europe choose to inform themselves from trustworthy sources."
That statement came from Andreea Pleșea, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of DRUID AI, whose technology underpins ChatEurope's user experience. The platform's responses are designed to guarantee transparency and reliability by always citing their journalistic sources.
According to a recent industry survey, 36% of journalists now view disinformation as the most significant threat to their profession. The consortium behind ChatEurope believes that tools which make source-verified information accessible at speed are increasingly necessary across the media landscape.
Editorial independence
ChatEurope is hosted on infrastructure built by open-source specialist XWiki, with those involved stressing the importance of editorial independence. The system is designed to function without algorithmic manipulation or interference, which developers state is a key to maintaining its credibility and user trust.
Christine Buhagiar, AFP's Director of Development and Diversification, commented on the anticipated impact of the service on public discourse and the media industry:
"By combining reliability and innovation, ChatEurope will be a game-changer when it comes to information on European affairs. Through this new platform, European citizens will be able to converse in their own language with a chatbot capable of finding credible, verified answers to their questions from the news content provided by leading media organisations. Media urgently need to adapt in the face of pervasive disinformation and the advent of artificial intelligence, and that's precisely what we're doing with ChatEurope."
The chatbot provides a range of formats, including breaking news, analysis, explanations to help users understand European institutions and policy decisions, as well as articles interpreting the national implications of EU-level changes. It also offers vertical videos and documentaries via social media to reach audiences with a variety of media preferences.
Access for all
ChatEurope is targeted toward all European citizens, regardless of age or background, with the intention of fostering informed public discussion on significant policies and events. The consortium highlights the platform's multi-lingual capability and commitment to making journalist-backed information more accessible throughout the region.
In addition to providing source-cited news summaries and fact-based explanations, ChatEurope's developers emphasise its potential role as a digital fact-checker and a resource for those seeking clarity on complex or contested topics, particularly before elections or at times of heightened public debate.
The platform's unique structure, drawing content from a network of prominent European news agencies and publishers, is intended as a response to trends that have seen news consumption shift to social media and other channels where unverified information can proliferate.
Members of the ChatEurope consortium include Agence France-Presse, Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata, Agora Media Group, the German Press Agency, Deutsche Welle, DRUID AI, El Pais, France Médias Monde, Maldita.es, MediaConnect, news aktuell, Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso Transeuropa, RFI Romania, and XWiki.
