In a bid to wage war against the spread of disinformation and misinformation in Africa, a fact-checking outfit, FactCheck Africa has unveiled the continent’s first Artificial Intelligence powered platform known as ‘MyAIFactChecker’.
FactCheck Africa, is a product of a Nigeria-based nonprofit organisation, Brain Builder Youth Initiative, BBYDI, was launched in 2022 as an independent fact-checking hub for Africans.
Reacting during the commissioning of the platform, the Global Director, Abideen Olasupo, noted that the initiative, which was supported by BECERA and the US State Department would reshape how African verify news reports and other digital information.
He revealed: “MyAIFactChecker is a demonstration of our organisation’s unwavering commitment to combating the scourge of misinformation, disinformation, and fake news, thereby safeguarding the integrity of information. This platform leverages cutting-edge AI technology, is user-friendly, and allows you to verify the authenticity of news, social media posts, and other online content quickly and conveniently.”
According to Olasupo, the platform comes with a lot of functionalities, including a chatbot interface, feedback mechanism, and voice search capability that is available in English, Swahili, French, Arabic, and several local languages in Nigeria.
He furthered that MyAIFactChecker would combat the proliferation of disinformation and harmful content, causing substantial threats to the integrity of elections, democracy, public health, and stability in the continent.
The BBDYI global director maintained that the innovation would check the indiscriminate spread of disinformation in African nations preparing to hold elections this year.
“It is worthy to note that 2024 is a year of elections in Africa as about 24 countries on the continent will hold elections this year. During electioneering periods, there is always a proliferation of fake news, and its attendant consequences could negatively impact the electoral process. With the launch of MyAIFactChecker, we are poised to curb the spread of misinformation and disinformation before, during, and after elections in these affected countries.
“We believe that access to accurate information is a fundamental right, and we are dedicated to empowering individuals with the tools to discern truth from falsehood in this digital age. We will continue to promote media literacy and critical thinking across Africa,” he said.
He therefore commended Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, for charting a course for an effective Artificial Intelligence Strategy for the country.
“In recognition of the immense potential of AI in addressing societal challenges, BBYDI will continue to advocate for policies and ethical frameworks to guide the deployment of AI technologies across Africa. It is imperative that we harness the power of AI for the collective good of our society.”
