AI search engines return discredited race science as factual content
AI-powered search engines from Google, Microsoft, and Perplexity reportedly returned discredited race science research as factual information when users queried national IQ scores. A researcher discovered the systems were citing work by race scientist Richard Lynn, whose theories have been used by white supremacists, and experts warned the AI promotion could radicalize users.
What happened
Google's AI Overviews, Microsoft's Copilot, and Perplexity returned specific numerical IQ scores for countries when users queried national IQ data. A researcher from Hope Not Hate discovered that Google returned an IQ score of 80 for Pakistan, 45.07 for Sierra Leone, and 75.2 for Kenyaβfigures sourced directly from research published by Richard Lynn, a race scientist.
The data used came from Lynn's discredited work, which has been widely used by white supremacists and far-right extremists to argue for racial genetic superiority. Lynn was president of the Pioneer Fund, an organization founded in 1937 by Nazi sympathizers to promote 'race betterment.'
Reported impact
Experts warned that AI promotion of these discredited theories could radicalize users. Rebecca Sear, director of the Center for Culture and Evolution at Brunel University London, stated that unquestioning use of these statistics spreads disinformation and aids the political project of scientific racism.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.