EBU calls for AI accountability in news and child safety
July 9, 2026 12.00 Europe/London By Julian Clover


The European Broadcasting Union has urged governments to give public service media a central role in AI regulation, warning that artificial intelligence companies are becoming gatekeepers between news organisations and their audiences.

Speaking at the UN Global Dialogue on AI Governance in Geneva, the EBU called for stronger accountability from AI developers over the accuracy of AI-generated news, transparency around how trust is determined online, and greater protections for children using AI systems.

Luis Jiménez, Head of Business Development and Partnerships for Eurovision News at the EBU, said: “AI companies are inserting themselves between newsrooms and audiences, making journalism accountability methods such as bylines and editorial principles invisible to audiences.”

The EBU cited research showing trust in news has fallen to 37%, while use of AI chatbots for news continues to grow. It also highlighted an EBU and BBC study which found almost half of AI-generated news responses contained significant errors or sourcing problems.

Alongside the 5Rights Foundation and Fondation Abeona, the EBU urged the UN to recognise public service media as trusted sources within national AI governance frameworks, require AI systems aimed at children to prove they are safe before launch, and develop open standards for AI rather than allowing technology companies to set the rules alone.

The intervention comes as regulators around the world consider how AI should be governed while maintaining trust in journalism and protecting vulnerable users.