An AI Early Warning System to Monitor Online Disinformation, Stop Violence, and Protect Elections
Appeared In: Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
Publication Date: February 19, 2020
The authors are developing an AI early warning system to monitor how manipulated content online—such as altered photos in memes—leads, in some cases, to violent conflict and societal instability. It can also potentially interfere with democratic elections. Look no further than the 2019 Indonesian election to learn how online disinformation can have an unfortunate impact on the real world. The system may prove useful to journalists, peacekeepers, election monitors, and others who need to understand how manipulated content is spreading online during elections and in other contexts.
Michael Yankoski, Tim Weninger & Walter Scheirer (2020) An AI early warning system to monitor online disinformation, stop violence, and protect elections, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, 76:2, 85-90, DOI: 10.1080/00963402.2020.1728976