Generative AI and Wikipedia editing: What we learned in 2025
created: Jan. 31, 2026, 9:14 p.m. | updated: Feb. 1, 2026, 6:50 a.m.
Our fundamental conclusion about generative AI is: Wikipedia editors should never copy and paste the output from generative AI chatbots like ChatGPT into Wikipedia articles.
Revising our guidanceGiven what we found through our investigation into the work from prior terms, and given the increasing usage of generative AI, we wanted to proactively address generative AI usage within our programs.
Our early interventions with participants who were flagged as using generative AI for exercises that would not enter mainspace seemed to head off their future use of generative AI.
Overwhelmingly, 87% of the responses who reported using generative AI said it was helpful for them in the task.
Providing clear guidance — and the reason why that guidance exists — has been key in helping us head off poor usage of generative AI text.
10 hours, 2 minutes ago: Hacker News