The African AI Fact-Checking platform MyAIFactChecker has formed a partnership with Meta to improve the AI tools that combat misinformation in the diverse languages of Africa.
MyAIFactChecker, the innovative AI-driven fact-checking platform developed by FactCheck Africa, has been officially partnered with Meta Language Technology in an effort to combat deceptive information and equip Africans with the necessary tools to differentiate between fact and fiction in the digital era.
Mr. Abideen Olasupo, the founder of FactCheck Africa, disclosed this information to THISDAY in Ilorin over the weekend regarding the organization’s latest innovation.
He stated, “Meta’s new innovative initiative is designed to promote greater linguistic inclusion globally and advance open-source language technologies.”
As per him, “The Meta Language Technology Partner Program is intended to provide assistance to organizations that are engaged in the development and deployment of language tools to enhance content moderation, fact-checking, and access to dependable information, with a particular emphasis on underserved and low-resource languages.”
According to Olasupo, this partnership will enable Meta to expedite the advancement of tools, including AI-powered speech recognition systems and translation platforms.
Olasupo, who characterized the partnership as a “milestone moment” for the organization, stated, “In a continent as rich and diverse in language as Africa, technology must rise to meet the scale and complexity of our communication landscape.”
He stated, “This partnership with Meta enables us to develop and enhance the tools that will facilitate this process.”
“This significant milestone represents a bold move in MyAIFactChecker’s mission to break down language barriers and elevate fact-checking across Africa, where linguistic diversity frequently presents unique challenges in the fight against misinformation and disinformation.”
MyAIFactChecker will provide Meta with essential linguistic resources as part of the program.
“These consist of extensive corpora of written text and translated sentence sets (minimum 200, ideally in the tens of thousands), as well as over 10 hours of speech recordings (with or without transcriptions”).
“These resources will assist in the development of language models that are more inclusive and precise, and that accurately reflect the distinctive linguistic realities of Africa.”
Olasupo observed that this partnership not only enhances FactCheckAfrica’s technological capabilities but also reaffirms its broader dedication to media literacy, critical thinking, and truth-telling.
“The objective is not merely to combat false information; rather, it is to equip Africans with the necessary tools to differentiate between fact and fiction in the digital era.”
“MyAIFactChecker’s acceptance into the Meta Language Technology Partner Program is a testament to its leadership in leveraging innovation to effect change, thereby facilitating the access of reliable information in the languages that are most accessible to Africans,” Olasupo stated as MyAIFactChecker began this new chapter.
