FactCheckAfrica, a Nigeria-based non-profit organization, has introduced Africa’s first artificial intelligence-powered fact-checking platform, ‘MyAIFactChecker,’ to combat the spread of misinformation and disinformation on the continent. Launched in 2022, FactCheck Africa aims to provide independent, non-partisan, and non-profit fact-checking services for Africans.
During the unveiling of the AI-powered platform, Abideen Olasupo, the Global Director of BBYDI, expressed that MyAIFactChecker is the result of months of dedicated effort and research, supported by BECERA and the U.S State Department. He emphasized that the platform will revolutionize how Africans verify news and online information, leveraging cutting-edge AI technology to ensure the authenticity of content.
The platform offers various functionalities, including a chatbot interface, feedback mechanism, and voice search capability in multiple languages, such as English, Swahili, French, Arabic, and local Nigerian languages. Olasupo highlighted the critical timing of the platform’s launch, as misinformation and disinformation pose significant threats to elections, democracy, public health, and stability in African nations.
With elections scheduled in about 24 African countries in 2024, the impact of fake news on the electoral process cannot be ignored. MyAIFactChecker aims to combat the spread of misinformation before, during, and after elections, empowering individuals with accurate information and promoting media literacy and critical thinking across Africa.
Furthermore, FactCheck Africa has launched a 3-month AI Journalism Fellowship for journalists in West Africa, providing training on AI in journalism. The organization’s commitment to leveraging technology solutions to address societal challenges was reinforced by the unveiling of MyAIFactChecker, showcasing the importance of ethical AI use in promoting societal trust and unity.