2023 Elections: RiseNetwork Develops AI Fake News Verification App

2023 Elections: RiseNetwork Develops AI Fake News Verification App

Rise Network, a Data Science, Analytics and Artificial Intelligence (AI) social enterprise has developed an AI-enabled fake news verification mobile app, “Run Am,” to help tackle misinformation during the 2023 general elections.

While launching the App on Friday in Abuja, the founder of Rise Networks, Toyosi Akerele, who revealed the initiative was developed with support from McArthur Foundation and the Center for Information Technology Development (CITAD), noted that the app will serve other state elections beyond the upcoming polls.

“It is one thing to have excellent intentions and another to have people and institutions who will put their weight behind your efforts. By the time we launch 2.0, we will be serving Africa,” she enthused.

She also affirmed that the launching of the app is timely as during elections, fake news is widely deployed as a tool to create voter apathy and voter intolerance, assuring that the app will be translated into local languages.

Earlier, the Chairman African Union Cyber Security Expert Group, Mr Abdul-hakeem Ajijala, commended the developers of the app, stating that it will help stem the tide of fake news

“Fake news undermines democracy, foster distrust, sociatal polirisation and hacks the mind of the electorate and it is that electorate that elects the Commander in Chief and other public office holders so AI systems like this that addresses our own challenges in our own way is a commendable development,” he said

The Independent National Electoral Commission Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victor Aluko, while appreciating Rise Networks for the initiative, has said that the commission is in talks with the management of Meta to find ways to combat fake news.

Features of the “Run Am” App include news verification, image verification, and voter education.

By PRNigeria