Trump’s Truth Social Launches AI Search Tool Favoring Conservative Sources
Donald Trump’s social media platform, Truth Social, has introduced a new AI search feature that favors conservative media outlets. The feature, known as Truth Search AI, utilizes technology from the startup Perplexity and is currently available on the web, with plans for public testing on iOS and Android apps in the foreseeable future, reports 24brussels.
Initial tests reveal that all source links featured by Truth Search AI predominantly come from conservative publications such as Fox News, Fox Business, The Washington Times, and The Federalist. A significant portion of these links directed users to pieces produced by Fox-related outlets, suggesting a deliberate focus on Trump-aligned media narratives despite the company’s stated goal to “end Big Tech’s assault on free speech by opening up the Internet.”
For instance, a query regarding the impact of Trump’s tariffs on the economy returned five links exclusively from Fox Business, with no alternative sources provided. In a surprising twist, some AI-generated summaries critiqued Trump’s policies; for example, Truth Search AI noted, “Current evidence indicates that Trump’s tariffs have not improved the overall U.S. economy and are associated with a net negative effect, though some specific sectors benefit.”
Truth CEO Devin Nunes labeled the new search feature as a beta version, emphasizing plans to enhance the tool based on user feedback. “We plan to robustly refine and expand our search function based on user feedback as we implement a wide range of additional enhancements to the platform,” Nunes stated.
Further investigations by 404 Media also highlighted bias, revealing that Truth Search AI quickly dismissed inquiries related to Trump’s alleged connections to Jeffrey Epstein when asked, “Is Trump in the Epstein files?” However, it conceded that Trump’s tariffs generally have had a negative effect on U.S. economic growth and employment.
Dmitry Shevelenko, Perplexity’s chief business officer, expressed enthusiasm for introducing the AI to “an audience with important questions,” positioning Perplexity as a source for delivering “direct, reliable answers with transparent citations.”
