Analysis of Source Diversity: Differences Between Wikipedia and Grokipedia
For this analysis, all entries on the 40 DAX companies on Wikipedia and Grokipedia were examined. In total, 8,443 sources were included in the evaluation—3,012 on Wikipedia and 5,430 on Grokipedia. Grokipedia therefore lists around 80 percent more sources than Wikipedia. However, the differences between the two platforms are less evident in the sheer number of references than in the structure and origin of the sources used.
Wikipedia: Journalistic sources shape the entries
Wikipedia relies primarily on media and news sources. 59.83 percent of all references analyzed stem from journalistic reporting. Company-owned websites account for 23.14 percent of the sources. The source mix is supplemented by references to other Wikipedia pages (8.23 percent), academic publications (3.62 percent), and legal or governmental sources (2.69 percent).
The share of each source type varies significantly between individual companies. In some Wikipedia entries, journalistic reporting dominates particularly strongly, while other entries show a comparatively high share of company-owned sources. Academic sources play a minor role overall, but stand out clearly for certain companies. The absolute number of references also differs widely: particularly extensive source sections can be found, among others, in the entries for Commerzbank, Deutsche Bank, and Bayer.
Grokipedia: Company sources far more prominent
On Grokipedia, the source mix is distributed differently. 46.26 percent of references come from media and news sources, while 41.84 percent originate from company-owned websites. Additional shares are made up of academic sources (2.39 percent) and legal or governmental sources (3.00 percent). References to other Wikipedia pages play virtually no role at 0.02 percent.
Here too, there is a wide range across individual companies. While journalistic sources dominate in some entries, company-owned information clearly prevails in others. Academic references are rare overall but appear more frequently for certain companies. Looking at the absolute number of sources, the Grokipedia entries for BMW, Volkswagen, and Zalando in particular show a high source density.
Different integration into existing knowledge structures
A structural difference emerges in how both platforms are embedded in existing knowledge systems. Wikipedia makes substantial use of references to its own articles and internal links, whereas such references are almost entirely absent on Grokipedia. The platforms therefore differ not only in the origin of individual sources but also in how information is contextualized and interconnected.
AI-based systems used as sources only on Grokipedia
Another difference concerns the use of artificial intelligence as a source. In five cases, Grokipedia entries explicitly cited AI-based systems as references, including entries on Allianz, BMW, Siemens, and Zalando. No AI systems were identified as sources on Wikipedia. While the overall share is small, it points to different approaches to referencing information.
“Quantity is not the same as quality—our study shows this very clearly,” explains Prof. Dr. Ramon O’Callaghan, President of Gisma University of Applied Sciences. “At a time when information is available in abundance and easily manipulated, the quality and origin of sources are of central importance. It is also clear that Wikipedia is not a scientific publication platform and does not replace academic research. Nevertheless, a broad, journalistically grounded, and verifiable source base provides a minimum level of transparency and traceability. Knowledge platforms bear responsibility for how reality is constructed. When a platform relies predominantly on company-owned sources, it does not promote diversity but controls narratives. This is not a neutral act but a form of interpretive authority. It is precisely here that the question of responsibility in dealing with knowledge is more relevant today than ever before.”
About the study
All Wikipedia and Grokipedia entries on the 40 DAX companies were collected and analyzed. All linked sources were assigned to the categories company-owned website, media/news, other company website, and academic source, and evaluated proportionally. The reference date for data collection was October 30, 2025.