AI chatbots could be one of the tools of the future for fighting hate and conspiracy theories, a new study shows. Researchers found that short dialogues with chatbots designed to engage with believers of antisemitic conspiracy theories led to measurable changes in what people believe.
The study was conducted by independent researchers supported by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and included 1,224 U.S. adults “who endorsed at least one of six antisemitic conspiracy theories.”
In the study, participants interacted with an AI chatbot programmed to debunk these theories. According to the ADL, the subjects’ short conversations with the large language model (LLM) reduced their belief in antisemitic conspiracies by 16%. Additionally, it increased favorability toward Jews by 25% among previously unfavorable participants.
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“At ADL, we are constantly innovating to find new ways to counter this age-old hatred with modern technology – it’s now very encouraging to see that even deeply entrenched prejudice can be effectively challenged by promising new tools that could reach millions at scale,” ADL CEO and National Director Jonathan Greenblatt said in a statement.
The antisemitic conspiracy theories tested in the study included:
- “A secretive group with significant Jewish influence controls governments and media worldwide.”
- “Powerful Jewish families like The Rothschilds or the Soros family manipulate world events to advance their own interests.”
- “The COVID-19 pandemic was an engineered emergency created in order to generate profits for Jewish pharmaceutical heads like Pfizer’s CEO Albert Bourla.”
- “The historical evidence supporting the events of the Holocaust is unreliable or exaggerated.”
- “Jewish interest groups are deliberately attempting to alter the demographic makeup of the U.S. in order to tip elections in their favor and advance their policy objectives.”
- “The 9/11 attacks were not undertaken by Al Qaeda but by Israeli operatives working in secret and trying to hide their involvement.”
The ADL noted that the effect was not just a short-term blip. Roughly 50% of the initial decrease in antisemitic conspiracy belief was still evident more than a month later.
“What’s remarkable about these findings is that factual debunking works even for conspiracy theories with deep historical roots and strong connections to identity and prejudice,” David G. Rand, Professor of Information Science, Marketing and Psychology at Cornell University and the study’s senior author said in a statement.
“Our artificial intelligence debunker bot typically doesn’t rely on emotional appeals, empathy-building exercises, or anti-bias tactics to correct false beliefs. It mostly provides accurate information and evidence-based counterarguments, demonstrating that facts still matter in changing minds,” Rand added.
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Matt Williams, vice president of the ADL Center for Antisemitism Research, said the research shows great promise for using everyday technology to push back against hate.
“We must explore strategies like integration into search engines and social media platforms, recommendations from trusted messengers and public awareness campaigns,” Williams said.
The findings come against a backdrop of rising antisemitism, particularly in the wake of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks and the war that followed.
In April, the ADL released a study showing a record-breaking number of antisemitic incidents for the fourth year in a row. The organization identified 9,354 antisemitic incidents in 2024, a 5% increase from 2023 and a staggering 926% increase since it began tracking in 1979.
According to the ADL’s calculations in its annual antisemitism audit, there were more than 25 “targeted anti-Jewish incidents” per day in 2024, more than one every hour. In its audit, the ADL detailed the types of antisemitic incidents recorded: 196 assaults (up 21% since 2023), 2,606 incidents of vandalism (up 20% since 2023) and 6,552 incidents of harassment (up from 6,535 in 2023).
In 2024, the ADL reported finding an increase in belief in anti-Jewish tropes, with younger Americans being more likely to endorse the narratives. Additionally, the organization found that more than 42% of Americans either had a friend or family member who disliked Jews (23.2%) or found it socially acceptable for a friend or family member to support Hamas (27.2%).
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