ChatGPT, Gemini, Grok and other top AI chatbot are spreading Russian disinformation, according to researchers.

Anti-misinformation company NewsGuard found that by entering 57 prompts based on false narratives attributed to John Mark Dougan, an American fugitive allegedly orchestrating misinformation from Moscow, into 10 prominent chatbots, the systems frequently cited Dougan's fabricated local news sites as credible sources and regurgitated false reports.

The study revealed that 152 out of the 570 total responses contained explicit disinformation, while 29 responses repeated the false claims with a disclaimer. Only 245 responses provided debunks or refusals to answer.

The findings chime with several recent studies showing that leading chatbots regularly spout misinformation and disinformation, and appear unprepared to handle a series of major elections across the world. 

Researchers warn that no existing countermeasures appear effective against this emerging threat.