CYBERJAYA: Malaysia has launched an AI chatbot on the Sebenarnya.my portal to combat fake news and allow users to verify information online.
By providing an easy way to check information, it ensures locals can access reliable and accurate content on the web.
Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil announced that the chatbot, led by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), is available in four languages—Malay, English, Mandarin, and Tamil—to cater to a diverse range of users.
Fahmi explained that the chatbot, named the AI Fact-check Assistant (AIFA), is user-friendly and accessible via WhatsApp. The chatbot uses algorithms to cross-check information with reliable sources.
With three key objectives, AIFA enhances the functionality of the Sebenarnya.my portal by helping the public quickly verify and access accurate information, responding to false information, and fighting the spread of fake news in Malaysia.
"AIFA is an essential tool for empowering the public with verified information from authorities and mitigating the impact of false information," he said during the launch.
Fahmi also noted that while AIFA currently only accepts text input, it will be expanded to include video formats in the future.
Regarding fake news, Fahmi revealed that MCMC had requested the removal of 19,546 fake news items from online platforms last year, with 17,245 successfully removed after verification.
As of yesterday, 1,575 fake news items had been flagged for removal, and 1,233 had already been taken down.
MCMC continues to strengthen its collaboration with social media platforms and enforcement agencies to tackle the spread of fake news.
Since 2020, a total of 25,114 fake news items have been removed following MCMC's requests.
Source: NST