Werner Vogels (Amazon): technology tips the scales toward truth-telling

What will technology look like in 2025, and what trends will we see this year? Werner Vogels, CTO of Amazon, takes a look into the future and, in his annual op-ed, identifies several pressing trends that will continue to shape our world this year. Two of the most relevant:

• The rise of tools against disinformation: how AI and technological innovation protect the truth in an age of fake news and deepfakes;
• Democratization of technology in times of crisis: innovative tools that are quickly available worldwide in the event of disasters and calamities.

In this contribution, Vogels discusses technology that tips the scales toward truth-telling. Werner Vogels:

We are in a new era characterized by major societal challenges and rapid technological advances. Using technology for positive purposes is both an ethical imperative and an activity that can improve the performance of organizations. From innovations in clean energy to developing AI tools in the fight against disinformation. The emergence of such technologies is changing our relationship with the digital world. At the same time, citizens are increasingly willing to address complex issues instead of focusing solely on individual interests. In the coming years, using new technology to achieve positive social impact will redefine how we think about 'success'.

Finding the truth

With disinformation spreading faster and faster, new AI tools will emerge to enable journalists, researchers and citizens to uncover the truth. This technological revolution will democratize investigative capabilities, accelerate fact-checking, and begin to close the gap between spreading disinformation and debunking it.

We have rapidly shifted from decades of prolonged news cycles to a constant stream of news updates shared via the click of a mouse. Social media is a primary source for spreading and consuming news at lightning speed, and it has never been more complex to distinguish between what is true and false. This has eroded trust in traditional media and news sources. The consequences are profound; a large portion of the population struggles to recognize accurate information (52 percent), leading to much skepticism and the sharing of misinformation. Technology has fueled this crisis, but it may also be the key to the solution.

Over the past decade, Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) has emerged as a crucial tool in unraveling complex investigations and uncovering truths hidden beneath layers of deception. Organizations such as Bellingcat and ProPublica have used public data, such as geolocations, chronolocation and IP addresses, to prove human rights violations and to investigate during international conflicts. Major news outlets in all parts of the world, such as the BBC, Der Spiegel, and the New York Times, have used OSINT methodologies to verify, research, and validate facts (and sometimes have made their tools open source). However, this process is manual and labor-intensive. Thus, producing results can take weeks or months (sometimes years).

In contrast, malicious people who spread disinformation can do so with a single tweet or through manipulated images or videos. This creates a massive imbalance in the information ecosystem. This underscores the need for reliable tools to combat disinformation.

Power dynamics are changing

We are on the eve of a movement that puts tools in the hands of consumers that fundamentally change the power dynamic. Innovations, such as the TrustNet browser extension, promise real-time, crowdsourced fact-checking for Web content. GeoSpy extracts photograph data and compares features to geographic regions, countries, and cities. Also emerging are generative AI systems that supplement news stories with relevant scientific knowledge, such as Proem. These are essential tools for validating claims and countering the spread of inaccuracies (both accidental and intentional). Investment in this sector is increasing, with over $250 million in funding this year for startups developing solutions to such pressing issues. Market expectations suggest that the OSINT industry could be worth billions over the next decade.

In the coming years, a shift toward truth-telling is expected. This development and the democratization of new tools may eventually lead to a level playing field, allowing accurate information to flow as quickly as disinformation. This transition can not only restore trust in traditional news sources but also improve the quality of discourse on digital platforms. This will benefit consumers, reduce the risk of reputational damage to companies, and help governments and organizations striving to keep the public well-informed.

Reshaping the information landscape

As technologists, we have a crucial responsibility in this transformation. We can reshape the information landscape by innovating and developing tools to detect and deter disinformation. Such efforts will contribute to a better-informed society resilient to digital deception. The way forward is clear: use technology not only to connect the world but also to protect the integrity of information.

Read Werner Vogels' entire article here