Question Everything with Brian Reed Can AI tell us what stories to look out for? A live experiment.
Dec 5, 2024
John Reed, a journalist at Pira Technologies, dives into the power of AI in uncovering hidden online narratives. He discusses how this technology identifies emerging ideas that could shape future conversations, from political threats to conspiracy theories surrounding figures like Bill Gates. The conversation explores the balance between verifying these narratives and sensationalism, the influence of social media on public perception, and the dangers of misinformation. Reed highlights the ever-evolving landscape of online discourse and its implications for journalism.
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Predicting January 6th
- After the 2020 election, Pira's technology detected escalating violent rhetoric alongside calls for protests in D.C.
- This alerted Welton Chang and his colleagues to the potential for real-world violence on January 6th.
Pira's Narrative Identification
- Pira's AI analyzes millions of posts, clustering them thematically to identify emerging narratives.
- Unlike trending topics, this aims to uncover ideas forming in less-moderated online spaces.
Bill Gates Conspiracy
- Bill Gates's work on public health and vaccines fuels a top online narrative falsely claiming he aims to depopulate the earth.
- This narrative resurfaces periodically, with a recent focus on his work in Africa, possibly linked to geopolitical dynamics.