Less than a week after the launch of Truth Search AI, a new Perplexity-powered search engine from Trump Media and Technology Group, the tool is already generating answers that contradict positions held by its most prominent co-founder. Built on the Perplexity Sonar API, the platform was introduced as a way to provide users with direct, contextually accurate answers backed by transparent citations. The company promoted it as a step toward expanding the amount of information available to users while maintaining accuracy.
Perplexity representatives acknowledged that the AI’s sources could be customized through a process called source selection. In initial tests by Axios, Truth Search AI appeared to draw heavily from conservative outlets like FoxNews.com and FoxBusiness.com, unlike Perplexity’s standard search engine which uses a broader range of sources.
Contradictions on Policy and Public Statements
Despite its curated source list, Truth Search AI has not always reinforced the administration’s preferred narratives. A Washington Post analysis found that the AI repeatedly offered answers that diverged from President Trump’s public statements, such as the economic effects of international tariffs and the need for federal intervention in Washington, D.C. The tool still relied mainly on conservative media for citations, but its conclusions were not consistently aligned with the talking points posted on Truth Social. Trump Media declined to comment directly on the findings, instead dismissing the reporting as partisan.
The AI tool’s performance comes against the backdrop of President Trump’s broader campaign against what he calls “Woke AI,” a term he uses for large language models that he believes are ideologically biased and influenced by diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Last month, he signed an Executive Order promoting “unbiased AI” in federal contracting and national security. At the same time, his administration has negotiated substantial government deals with major AI companies, including $200 million in Pentagon contracts with OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and Elon Musk’s xAI.
Author’s Opinion
Truth Search AI’s early contradictions show how difficult it is to create an AI that both maintains credibility and consistently supports a specific political agenda. Even when fed a limited set of sources, the technology can draw conclusions that don’t fit the desired narrative. This underlines the challenge of building AI tools that claim to be unbiased while operating in highly partisan environments — the very act of filtering sources can end up undermining the intended control.
Featured image credit: Live and Let’s Fly
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