Researchers say AI chatbots give shifting answers ahead of Oct. 19 Alberta referendum
A report from the Media Ecosystem Observatory finds AI tools like ChatGPT and Google AI Overview give inconsistent answers about the financial impacts of Alberta independence, as Albertans prepare to vote on 10 referendum questions.
Why it matters
The findings raise questions about whether Albertans are getting accurate information from AI tools as they prepare to vote on the province's future in Confederation.
Ahead of Alberta's Oct. 19 referendum, a report from the Ontario-based Media Ecosystem Observatory examined how artificial intelligence is shaping online discourse about Alberta separation. Director Aengus Bridgman said AI chatbots and search engines can give different answers to the same question — such as whether taxes would rise in an independent Alberta — within hours, because the underlying data used to generate responses keeps changing rather than any actual facts.
Albertans are voting on 10 questions, including whether to remain in Canada or hold a second, binding referendum on leaving Confederation. The report describes the vote as a case study in how AI could affect future elections given how much influence online personalities now carry compared to traditional news media and elected officials. Elections Alberta has warned on its website that AI chatbots and search engines are not official information sources and often cite inaccurate material.
The study also found a rise in separation-related content produced outside Canada, including in the United States, though Bridgman said there isn't enough evidence to call it foreign interference — researchers believe much of it is driven by profit from high view counts. Pro-separation influencers were found to dominate online discussion despite polling showing most Albertans would vote to stay in Canada, a gap Bridgman attributed partly to separatist voices feeling underrepresented in traditional media.
University of Alberta political science professor Blair Attard-Frost said the growing use of AI in the debate is concerning and called for renewed media literacy efforts, saying AI search tools are marketed as intelligent but can be deceptive. OpenAI and Google did not respond directly to the report, though OpenAI pointed to a prior blog post on its election-related safeguards.
Compiled by the Alberta Daily Desk — an AI-written summary of reporting from the credited sources below, produced and reviewed under our editorial policy.