Overview
- The term gained a new AI-specific sense this year for generative models producing incorrect or fabricated information.
- Chief editor Ton den Boon says the choice reflects how AI tools such as ChatGPT and Gemini have permeated daily life.
- Although not a new word, its AI meaning became common in 2025 as generative applications entered wider use.
- Editors note broader linguistic shifts driven by AI, including new compounds and new uses for existing verbs like training language models.
- The selection continues Van Dale’s annual tradition dating to 2007, following recent winners such as polarisatie (2024) and graaiflatie (2023).