Nel mondo oltre 3.800 siti d'informazione solo con l'IA, per il 10% domini italiani

Over 3,800 websites worldwide generate information solely using artificial intelligence, with Italian domains accounting for 10% of the total. According to the latest analysis by NewsGuard, a platform dedicated to monitoring online misinformation, more than half of these sites operate in English. The data was made available to ANSA and highlights growing concerns over the impact of AI-generated content on both public discourse and traditional media revenue streams. The report focuses on so-called “content farms powered by AI,” which produce a significant portion of their content through artificial intelligence without adequate transparency to readers. These sites often lack proper editorial oversight and may even employ strategies to disguise their nature, presenting themselves as legitimate news platforms. This trend has raised alarms among media watchdogs and regulators, who fear the erosion of journalistic standards and the spread of misleading information. One notable example is WeNews, a fully AI-generated news outlet recently launched in the Trentino-Alto Adige region of Italy, with a similar case reported in Umbria. WeNews describes itself as a real-time news source covering politics, crime, economy, health, international affairs, sports, and culture. However, it operates without human editors, relying instead on AI to scrape news from the internet. This approach has led to legal action, with the Italian National Union of Journalists (FNSI) and the Journalists’ Syndicate of Trentino-Alto Adige submitting a formal complaint to the Italian Communications Authority (Agcom). They argue that foreign-based companies, including one based in Hong Kong, are exploiting digital spaces to disseminate non-professional, misleading content that undermines public debate and threatens democratic processes. In parallel, Deputy Minister for Journalism and Information Alberto Barachini has taken steps to address the issue by reporting the site to the same authority. The situation reflects broader global trends, as AI-driven content production continues to expand rapidly. As of July 16, 2026, NewsGuard’s updated monitoring identified 3,859 such AI-powered content farms, compared to just 700 in 2024—operating in 30 languages. English dominates the landscape, representing over 55% of the sites, followed by Italian, French, and German, each holding around 10%, 10%, and 4% respectively. Among the more controversial claims circulating on these platforms are reports of Coca-Cola withdrawing its sponsorship from the Super Bowl due to the presence of reggaeton artist Bad Bunny as a performer, and the alleged suicide of a psychiatrist linked to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Such stories, while potentially true, are often presented without sufficient context or verification, contributing to the proliferation of misinformation. Dimitris Dimitriadis, Director of Research and Development at NewsGuard, emphasizes the alarming rate at which fake news sites are emerging. He notes that these platforms not only distort public discourse but also directly harm the financial viability of legitimate media organizations. With advertising revenue already under strain, the rise of AI-generated content poses a serious threat to the sustainability of traditional journalism. As regulatory bodies and industry groups intensify their efforts to combat this phenomenon, the challenge remains to balance innovation with accountability. The continued expansion of AI-driven content farms underscores the urgent need for clearer guidelines, greater transparency, and stronger enforcement mechanisms to protect the integrity of the information ecosystem.