ChatGPT: FactCheck Initiative, IDC Platforms Launch ChatBawa on WhatsApp

• A Nigerian fact-checking platform has released a ChatGPT-enabled feature on WhatsApp
• The feature allows users, especially journalists, to fact-check news and other information
• The tool is reportedly trained in nine languages and can fact-check URLs and other links

According to Temitope Adeoye, FCI is leveraging GPT -4's advanced artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities to verify or check information, allow users to send iReports and make suggestions to relevant agencies, facilitate self-assessment, collect feedback, use Google data to get up-to-date information.

Adeoye revealed this on Tuesday, June 20, 2023, in Abuja after the platform's launch.

The platform is trained in 9 languages

He said the platform aims to meet the demands of native users who might face language barriers when trying to access the services and artificial intelligence as a whole, stating that Bawa is currently available in 9 languages, including English, Yoruba, Igbo Hausa, French, Chinese, Portuguese, and Arabic.

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Adeoye said:

"Bawa is private and secure, and any information shared with the AI and automated assistant is kept private. We take our users' privacy and security very seriously and have put appropriate safeguards in place to protect their information."

"Compared to ChatGPT, ChatBawa can search online and get the most up-to-date information with references because it creatively combines multiple functionalities within a single WhatsApp chatbot, providing a comprehensive platform for information verification, reporting, self-assessment, and feedback.".

The AskMe AI feature on the platform has been trained to understand and respond in real-time to almost all requests, including a summary of URLs and image generations.

He said:

"It can even help with writing exceptional quality content, whether it's a blog post, a poem, an essay, an email, or anything, but our main focus with Bawa is geared towards fact-checking, assisting frontline workers in decision making, and giving everyone easy access to GPT-4 via WhatsApp."

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ChatGPT fact-checks websites, others

He said for the platform to mitigate bias, there is assurance that the training database is diverse, inclusive, and representative of the multilingual user base. The platform uses debiasing techniques to identify and correct any biases, performed regular bias audits, and incorporates user feedback.

"The big idea is to make the chatbot available on other social media platforms and Apps, add more languages, educational/gender equality features, and become the most advanced network-aware, a social media-aware system that serves as a one-stop platform for information verification, citizen engagement, and accountability."

"We are also creating the best outlet for anyone or any brand seeking access to any government agency through a well-moderated platform accessible at their fingertips."

Temitope concluded the press conference by thanking the IDC Platforms Team (a Nigerian multipurpose company headquartered in Abuja, Nigeria), of which he is also the CEO, for developing ChatBawa, the Bawa AI. "Thank you for your excellent work," Adeoye said.

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WhatsApp releases a new feature to let you silence incoming calls from unknown numbers

Legit.ng reported that amid prank calls and spam callers from unknown numbers on WhatsApp, Meta introduced a new feature allowing users to mute calls from numbers not on their contact list automatically.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed the new feature on his Facebook page on Tuesday, June 20, 2023, and said that the new feature gives users new privacy and control.

According to reports, the feature has been in beta testing for some time, and the stable version is now available for Android and iOS users.

Source: Legit.ng