UK Launches Agency to Counter Russian and AI-Driven Disinformation

The UK government has announced a new National Centre for Information Defence to combat a "poisonous tide" of state-backed disinformation, deepfakes and AI-generated falsehoods from Russia, China and domestic actors, which officials say is designed to "stoke division and sow despair." Analysts describe AI chatbots being "poisoned" with fabricated stories later repeated as fact, and deepfakes impersonating trusted news brands spreading unchecked online. This scale of coordinated, technology-driven deception illustrates how digital tools are eroding shared public truth.