Fahmi Announces Upcoming WhatsApp AI Chatbot To Combat Fake News
Combatting fake news, one step at a time.
By Syazwan Bahri — 27 May 2024, 03:50 PM
Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil has announced the imminent launch of an AI-powered chatbot to combat fake news
This innovative tool is designed to verify the authenticity of information shared on WhatsApp, said the minister during a press conference on 25 May, Saturday.
"In this session, I mentioned the development of a WhatsApp app or chatbot we will launch soon to help verify topics or circulated content," he was quoted as saying by Malay Mail.
"We see Malaysians are very comfortable with WhatsApp and a lot of misinformation is spread through this platform. So, we will bring the fight against fake news to WhatsApp," he added.
While verification for text-based content is nearly complete, the chatbot may be upgraded in the future to verify images and videos as well
Given the prevalence of content sharing from platforms like TikTok and Facebook, Fahmi said the chatbot could potentially identify and verify image and video content in a future update.
"Currently, it works with text, but I have requested it should also handle videos and images. Using AI, we will be able to confirm if a video is old, if any action has been taken, or what exactly the content is," the minister highlighted.
In addition to videos, the chatbot is reportedly highly efficient and capable of operating in multiple languages
The minister said that chatbot works rapidly, providing responses in mere seconds. His ministry is also working to ensure that the chatbot can communicate in several languages, including Malay, English, Chinese, and Tamil.
The AI-powered chatbot is expected to go live soon
Fahmi pointed out that the chatbot is currently in the final stages of preparation before its official launch.
"While we are in the final stages of preparation before its official launch, I urge all Malaysians to always be cautious with any information received. If unsure, don't share it," he said.
