Mozilla acquired Fakespot
In a strategic move earlier this year, Mozilla acquired Fakespot, a pioneering startup utilizing AI and machine learning to detect counterfeit and misleading product reviews. Today, Mozilla introduces Fakespot Chat, its inaugural Large Language Model (LLM), designed to assist online shoppers in navigating product information seamlessly. This AI chatbot is poised to answer queries about products, offering valuable insights and even suggesting pertinent questions for comprehensive product research.
The irony is evident – combating the menace of fake reviews using AI, a technology often implicated in crafting these deceptive evaluations. Reports surfaced earlier this year about Amazon product reviews explicitly created through ChatGPT, commencing with the distinctive phrase “As an AI language model.” TripAdvisor also revealed the removal of over 20,000 reviews suspected of containing AI-generated content. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission, recognizing the exacerbation of the problem by AI, proposed a rule to ban fake product reviews.
However, Fakespot takes a different approach, leveraging AI, including generative AI technologies, to enhance the trustworthiness of the online shopping experience. Last year, it introduced the Pros and Cons feature, a generative AI capable of summarizing a product’s positives and negatives, potentially eliminating the need for extensive review reading. Trained on billions of data points, this feature employs five different models to deliver nuanced insights.
Fakespot Chat recently entered testing, offering consumers a virtual shopping assistant akin to seeking advice from a salesperson in a physical store. Powered by AI and machine learning, the chatbot sifts through product reviews, distinguishing genuine from fake, to respond to user queries. Mozilla assures users that the information collected during chat sessions is anonymized and used solely to enhance the overall experience without requiring personal account details.
Accessible through the Fakespot Analyzer or Fakespot’s browser extension on Amazon.com, the chatbot simplifies the product research process. Users can paste the product URL into the analyzer or rely on the browser extension for automatic analysis. Once complete, Fakespot Chat appears alongside other features, including Pros and Cons, Review Grades, and Highlights, enabling users to make informed purchase decisions.
This innovation aligns with Mozilla’s broader AI initiatives, including a $30 million commitment to building Mozilla.ai, an open-source AI ecosystem. Additionally, Mozilla hosted the Responsible AI Challenge, promoting the development of trustworthy AI solutions through a competitive platform.
Acknowledging the potential for improvement, Mozilla invites users to provide feedback on Fakespot Chat, emphasizing the ultimate goal of reducing product research time and facilitating better purchasing decisions. Saoud Khalifah, Founder and Director of Fakespot at Mozilla, expressed this sentiment in the announcement, highlighting the commitment to enhancing the user experience through innovative AI solutions.
