Alphabet introduces AI-tool to fight ‘toxic’ speech

Alphabet Jigsaw (formerly known as Google Ideas) has launched a tool to combat toxic speech on the Internet: Perspective. The tool uses artificial intelligence to ‘score the perceived impact a comment might have on a conversation’, and is identifying whether comments can be perceived as ‘toxic’. The degree to which content is scored as ‘toxic’ is based on the language used, rather than the idea expressed. While Google is still working on certain imperfections and complexities in the project, responses have been generally positive, with Forbes even claiming that it is ‘the perfect model: a focus on language over ideas, an open API available to others, transparency in how the model was built and what it looks for, and an open feedback loop for users to help refine the model over time’. Other responses are less optimistic, and fear that artificial intelligence can be used to censor controversial speech.