Popular chatbots ChatGPT and Microsoft's Copilot repeated a false claim about the first 2024 US presidential debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump.

The misinformation centered around a false claim that CNN would broadcast the debate with a "1-2 minute delay" instead of the standard 7-second delay. The claim originated from a conservative writer and quickly spread among conservative influencers and political figures, despite CNN promptly denying it as false.

When questioned about the purported delay, both ChatGPT and Copilot incorrectly confirmed its existence, citing online sources that did not actually mention any delay in CNN's broadcast. 

Other AI chatbots, including Meta AI and X's Grok, provided correct responses to the same query, while Google's Gemini declined to answer due to the question's political nature.

The incident was seen to demonstrate the challenges AI faces in distinguishing between accurate and false information, especially in rapidly changing news environments, and the potential for AI to amplify misinformation and disinformation, particularly during critical events such as political elections.