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Jimmy Wales states that errors produced by AI still prevent automatic edits, although the technology can assist the encyclopedia’s contributors.
Wikipedia will not allow artificial intelligence tools to directly edit its articles. The decision was explained by the platform’s co-founder, Jimmy Wales, this Monday, June 22, 2026.
Automated systems still do not offer the necessary reliability to control content production, according to Wales.
The main problem involves the so-called “artificial intelligence hallucinations”. These errors occur when a tool presents false information with apparent confidence.
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Recent models have managed to reduce this type of failure. The problem, however, still remains “very, very serious”, as stated by the Wikipedia co-founder.
AI hallucinations concern Wikipedia
The statement was made during a climate action event held in London.
Jimmy Wales explained that Wikipedia still does not trust the technology enough to authorize automatic changes to its articles.
“We would not allow it to edit directly because it is still not possible to trust enough”, he stated.
The editing of content will therefore remain the responsibility of the human community that maintains the encyclopedia.
This measure seeks to prevent incorrect data from being included on pages consulted daily by millions of people.
Artificial intelligence can help editors
The restriction does not mean that Wikipedia completely rejects the use of artificial intelligence.
Wales acknowledged that the technology can function as a support tool for millions of human contributors.
Automated systems could locate news, events, and very specific subjects that might otherwise go unnoticed by editors.
In this scenario, artificial intelligence would act in identifying the topics. Evaluation, verification, and publication would remain under human control.
The final decision on any changes would remain in the hands of the encyclopedia’s contributors.
AI Robots Increase Automated Access
Artificial intelligence companies widely use Wikipedia content to craft responses for their users.
This usage has significantly increased the volume of queries made by robots on the platform’s servers.
Human visitor traffic, on the other hand, recorded a drop of 8%, according to Jimmy Wales.
Wales also serves on the board of the Wikimedia Foundation, the organization responsible for maintaining Wikipedia.
The reduction was classified as significant. Even so, it does not represent a critical problem for the encyclopedia.
Wikipedia remains among the ten most visited sites in the world.
Donations Sustain the Encyclopedia’s Operation
Created in 2001, Wikipedia maintains its activities primarily through donations made by users.
The platform’s financial model does not directly depend on the number of visits or the sale of advertising.
The drop in human traffic, therefore, does not immediately threaten the continuity of the project.
The organization monitors the change in visitor behavior, especially in light of the growth of artificial intelligence platforms.
AI Companies Generate Costs for Servers
The rise of automated queries also incurs real expenses for Wikipedia’s digital infrastructure.
A large part of these accesses requires additional capacity from the servers that store and distribute the encyclopedia’s articles.
Jimmy Wales argued that artificial intelligence companies should financially contribute to the platform’s maintenance.
These companies use Wikipedia content to feed responses offered to their own users. The intense use, consequently, generates costs for the organization.
Wikipedia Blocks Companies That Violate Rules
Wikipedia has already made agreements with several tech giants.
These understandings establish appropriate ways of accessing and using the content provided by the encyclopedia.
Companies that do not respect the usage rules have started to be blocked, as stated by Jimmy Wales.
The measure seeks to protect the servers and preserve the work voluntarily carried out by millions of contributors.
Artificial intelligence may help behind the scenes, but it will not take direct control of Wikipedia articles.
Source: Agence France-Presse, with statements from Jimmy Wales released on June 22, 2026.
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