AI Assists with Fact-Checking: HSE Scientists Streamline Information Verification

© iStock

Specialists at the HSE AI Research Centre have developed an AI-powered fact-checking assistant. This software solution will improve the quality of working with information, reduce the risks of errors and biases, and save both time and resources. A notable advantage of the program lies in its capability to process a wide variety of statement types.

Today, neural networks are commonly used for statement verification, even though they were not initially designed for this purpose and may 'hallucinate’, generating texts that do not align with reality. Neural networks are trained on extensive datasets; if these datasets contain errors or inaccuracies, the network's outputs may be erroneous. The fact-checking assistant developed at HSE University aims to address this problem.

The program is made up of several key components, which include searching for text fragments relevant to the user's statement, comparing these fragments with the statement, and, finally, making a conclusive decision regarding the statement's accuracy. The program's outputs include the final decision, the probability of its accuracy, and the text fragments that either corroborate or contradict the statement.

Dmitry Ilvovsky, head of the project 'AI in Information Processes' at the AI Research Centre, HSE University

'A notable advantage of the program lies in its capability to process various types of statements. Through the use of machine learning and modern algorithms, we have attained a reasonably high level of accuracy and reliability in terms of information processing and analysis. However, using the assistant requires a certain degree of caution, as it cannot fully replace professional fact-checking, and its scope of application is limited.'

The program's customisable algorithm comprises several fairly reliable components that can be further refined and improved. Specifically, the scientists trained the program to run fact checks automatically using data from Wikipedia in Russian, English, and Bulgarian. Technically, the program can handle any statement presented in the form of a text longer than five words. If a specific fact mentioned in the statement is not found in Wikipedia, the program is likely to indicate that there is 'insufficient information' to perform a check. This is one of the standard responses of the system.

The developers at HSE University can customise the program upon request and train it on data from specific sources. The virtual assistant features a user-friendly interface and is suitable for use by researchers, fact-checkers, or framework developers as either an integrated verification tool or a browser plug-in.

Please refer to the HSE AI Research Centre for more details about the product.