Lead With AI – "The War on Misinformation: How AmICredible Is Becoming the World’s Fact Filter"

Host: Dr. Tamara Nall
Guest: Dan Nottingham, Founder & CEO of AmICredible
Recorded: January 20, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode of Lead with AI, Dr. Tamara Nall sits down with Dan Nottingham, CEO and founder of AmICredible, to discuss the urgent problem of misinformation and the innovative AI solution designed to combat it. As the digital age amplifies both the speed and reach of false information, AmICredible offers a platform for verifying content credibility, empowering users to fact-check posts, sources, and their own statements in real time. The discussion covers the platform’s technology, its philosophy on digital trust, ethical considerations, and its potential impact on online discourse.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Origins & Motivation for AmICredible

• Scientific Background:
  • Dan’s journey started as a physicist and astronomer, leading to seven years as a staff scientist at Boston University.
  • At his core, he identifies as a scientist frustrated by the growing distrust in media and expertise:

    "I became really frustrated hearing people say things like, I don't know what to believe anymore... trust in mainstream media is at an all time low." — Dan Nottingham (03:00)

• Purpose:
  • AmICredible was created to “push back against the wave of misinformation and mistrust… just my way of trying to do something right.” (03:36)

2. How AmICredible Works

• Research Model:
  • Mimics robust research process: identifies credible sources, analyzes varying perspectives, considers consensus, and checks for bias by leveraging multiple large language models. (04:19–06:06)
• Credibility Score:
  • Generates a 0–10 credibility score along with a detailed source-based analysis.

    "At a glance, before you even read the analysis, you can see right away is what I'm researching... credible? And then you read about why or why not." — Dan (05:50)

• User Experience:
  • Allows users to check both their own statements and others’ social posts.
  • Current interface is browser-based, with mobile apps in development. Real-time checks possible at social events or on the go. (10:07–10:54)

3. Encouraging Better Digital Behavior

• Proactive Use:
  • Encourages users to pause and self-check before posting:

    "Maybe you'll check things before you say it... proactively can stop misinformation right in its tracks before it starts spreading." — Dan (07:23)

• Civil Discourse:
  • Tool facilitates respectful fact-based discussions, potentially reducing polarization and promoting humility:

    "You can say that's interesting. Here's what AmICredible has to say... Now you're starting to bring in some facts into the conversation and you can have a more civil discourse." — Dan (09:03)

4. Notable ‘Holy Smokes’ & Validation Moments

• Personal Anecdote:
  • Dan shared how, in a debate among friends, AmICredible helped him realize he was wrong, turning the conversation into a learning experience for both sides.

    "I was wrong... I shared that with him... It was a growth experience for me. And I'm hoping that's the experience that others will have using this." — Dan (12:14)

5. Technical Challenges & Breakthroughs

• AI Limitations:
  • Early assumption: Fact-checking would be easy with prompt engineering.
  • Reality: Large language models often hallucinated or failed to provide nuanced responses.
  • Solution: Extensive proprietary tuning and multi-model analysis led to much deeper, bias-aware, source-rich responses.

    "The exciting moment... analysis started coming back very deep... citing Fox News and MSNBC in the same analysis. You could see it trying to weed out biases." — Dan (13:36–16:49)

• Unique Value:
  • Delivers neutral, non-opinionated outputs, distinct from its creators’ worldviews.

6. Differentiating Credibility from Fact-Checking

• Credibility ≠ Facts Alone:
  • Credibility encompasses accuracy of both facts and context.
  • Example: True observations, but misleading conclusions can reduce credibility.

    "You can list several facts, but then you can wrap it in a context that distorts it... So we use all of that to create what we call a credibility score rather than just fact checking." — Dan (17:03–18:56)

• Score Interpretation:
  • 0 = no credibility
  • 10 = highly credible
  • 4–6 = uncertain or iffy

7. Ethics & Avoiding Bias

• Primary Challenge:
  • Avoiding and averaging out bias, striving for transparency.

    "Bias has been our biggest challenge... We wanted to try to embrace that idea of not stacking the deck. Just find out what's credible, what isn't." — Dan (20:08)

• Technical Safeguards:
  • Built-in prompt design instructs the AI to remain neutral and non-partisan.

    "We've built all that into it to try to be as neutral as we can. All you have to do is put in a statement and it evaluates it." — Dan (22:01)

8. The Future of Credibility and AmICredible

• Vision:
  • Credibility integrated into the fabric of information-sharing platforms, influencing virality alongside user engagement.

    "I see credibility... being used as a tool for being able to tell something's interesting, something's popular and credible that spreads more easily than something that's interesting, popular and not credible." — Dan (22:39–24:06)

• User Features:
  • Open access with guest mode; deeper analysis and leaderboard features available via pro version.
  • Users can build their own credibility scores, incentivizing responsible sharing. (24:16–25:23)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Digital Trust:

  "In a world where everyone's got a platform, credibility might just be your most valuable currency."
  — Dr. Tamara Nall (00:17)

• On Humility & Learning:

  "It was actually correct. I had misinterpreted the event and I shared that with him... It was a growth experience for me."
  — Dan Nottingham (12:14)

• On AI’s Limits:

  "I thought this was going to be very easy... But then it turns out... it's just not that simple. AI will kind of go off and it'll hallucinate... It doesn't behave quite the way you want it to."
  — Dan (13:36)

• On Ethical Guardrails:

  "You don't want to pretend you're the oracle of truth. Truth has context. Truth is kind of a slippery thing."
  — Dan (20:08)

• On AI and Code:

  "I believe that most software in the future will be written by AI. Humans will just describe the intent of the software, but really most people won't be writing code."
  — Dan (28:00)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |------------------|---------------------------------| | 02:33–03:36 | Dan's scientific roots & motivations
| 04:19–06:06 | How AmICredible works: process, scoring
| 07:23–09:03 | Role in digital conversations and civil discourse
| 10:07–10:54 | Availability & platforms
| 11:09–12:50 | "Holy smokes" moment – Dan’s personal story
| 13:36–16:49 | Technical hurdles; why LLMs alone weren’t enough
| 17:03–18:56 | What credibility means vs. fact-checking
| 20:08–21:45 | Ethics, bias, and transparency
| 22:39–24:06 | Future vision for credibility infrastructure
| 24:16–25:23 | How to try AmICredible and user features
| 26:13–28:12 | Rapid fire: overrated/underrated trends, book rec, boldest prediction

Resources & How to Try AmICredible

• Platform: amicredible.ai (browser-based; mobile app coming soon)
• No account needed to trial, deeper features available with login/pro version
• Connect with Dan Nottingham:
  • LinkedIn: Dan Nottingham
  • AmICredible: Available on LinkedIn, Facebook, and other major social platforms

Tone & Atmosphere

The conversation is warm, smart, and practical—Dr. Nall brings her signature curiosity and expert perspective, making complex AI topics approachable and relevant. Dan Nottingham’s humility and clarity ground the discussion in real-world examples, focusing on ethical innovation to rebuild trust in public discourse.

Summary prepared for listeners seeking a thorough grasp of the episode’s insights and actionable takeaways on AI-driven credibility and responsible technology in the age of misinformation.