The Duke of Sussex has warned “we are no longer debating facts” as he discussed the spread of fake news via AI and social media during a visit to Colombia.
Prince Harry landed in Colombia with his wife Meghan Markle on Thursday and spent the first day of their visit at a school in the capital Bogota speaking to teenagers about social media, before chatting at a summit about digital responsibility.
The pair were invited to the South American nation after its Vice-President Francia Márquez watched a Netflix series about their lives and is not an official visit, the BBC reports.
Harry said during the visit: “What happens online within a matter of minutes transfers to the streets. People are acting on information that isn’t true.”
The duke added that many people were "scared and uncertain" about the possible impact of AI and that "education and awareness" would be key to tackling misinformation.
He continued: “It comes down to all of us to be able to spot the true from the fake.
"In an ideal world those with positions of influence would take more responsibility. We are no longer debating facts.
“For as long as people are allowed to spread lies, abuse, harass, then social cohesion as we know it has completely broken down."
The California-based couple, who have already visited Nigeria this year, have been given a full security detail.
They do not get the same treatment in the UK after stepping down as working royals in 2020.
The tour appears to mirror an official royal visit and Harry and Meghan are expected to spend time in the Cartagena and Cali during the trip.
