Asking AI 'who funded this and why?'

A study about sugar funded by the soda industry isn't neutral. A news article from a partisan site isn't either. AI can quickly tell you who's behind a source and what they might want you to believe.

Some examples

• 'Who funds this organization and what's their typical bias?'
• 'Is this site considered left-leaning, right-leaning, or neutral?'
• 'What's this author's track record on similar topics?'
• 'What groups would benefit if I believed this article?'

Try it!

Pick 3 sources you've used recently. Ask AI for the bias and funding behind each. Decide if you'd still cite them.

Practice this safely

Try this with a school, hobby, or family example where the stakes are low. Use the AI output as a draft you can question, not as the final answer.

1. 1Ask AI to explain source bias in plain language, then underline anything that sounds uncertain or too broad.
2. 2Give it one detail from "Asking AI 'who funded this and why?'" and ask for two possible next steps plus one reason each step might be wrong.
3. 3Check funding against a trusted source, teacher, adult, expert, or original document before you use it.