Google.org, a philanthropic project launched by the web giant, has been running the Google AI Impact Challenge for several years now. This call for projects aims to support organizations around the world in using artificial intelligence to tackle various social challenges.
For the 2019 edition, Africa Check and four other organizations were named winners of the challenge. As such, Google will fund the five organizations in implementing artificial intelligence techniques to actively combat misinformation around the world.
Africa Check and the other winners, Full Fact, Chequeado, and the ODI, will share a $2 million grant over a three-year period to implement the project. They will also receive coaching from Google's artificial intelligence experts.
This funding marks a new milestone for Africa Check, which continues its work to raise awareness of fake news originating on the continent through the implementation of automated fact-checking.
"Over the next five years, we will work together to use machine learning to significantly improve fact-checking around the world, collaborating with international experts. The goals will include defining how artificial intelligence could transform this work, developing new tools, and deploying and using them," Africa Check announced. "We will assist media outlets, civil society, platforms, and policymakers to help them understand how artificial intelligence can help people decide which information to trust and enable everyone to benefit from automated fact-checking. The project will be led by the five winners across three continents (Africa, Europe, and the Americas). It will contribute to the deployment of a global network of actors wishing to use emerging technologies to combat disinformation.