Fujitsu, in collaboration with various academic and private sector institutions in Japan, has announced the start of an innovative project aimed at developing a counter-disinformation platform. This consortium, which includes the National Institute of Informatics (NII), NEC Corporation, the University of Tokyo, among others, aims to create a unique technological infrastructure to detect, analyze, and evaluate false information in real-time. The platform is expected to be ready by fiscal year 2025.
A national effort to combat disinformation
The project, in which Fujitsu acts as the lead operator, was selected in July 2024 through a public call organized by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) of Japan. This initiative is part of the Program for Collaborative Research and Development of Advanced Technologies (Program K), established in collaboration with the Cabinet Office of Japan, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and other ministries. Its purpose is to strengthen Japan’s economic security and maintain its international competitiveness in technology.
Strategies and technologies to combat disinformation
The platform proposed by Fujitsu and its partners will be able to manage disinformation from its initial detection to the collection of evidence and detailed analysis of its impact. Technologies to be developed as part of this project include:
– Detection of disinformation in digital media: NII and NEC are developing systems to identify and analyze deepfakes and manipulated content on social networks. These technologies will assign a confidence score to content, facilitating the identification of manipulations in images, videos, and audios.
– Management and verification of evidence: In collaboration with the University of Osaka and the Keio Research Institute, Fujitsu will develop an “evidence graph” structure that allows storing and verifying the authenticity of information collected online. This system will integrate advanced IoT analysis and sensor data, generating real-time evidence based on data from nearby environments.
– Comprehensive authenticity analysis: Using its Fugaku supercomputer, Fujitsu will develop a specialized Language Model (LLM) that allows for rapid and accurate verification of information authenticity, reducing the chances of “hallucinations” in the results. This system will be able to perform logical inferences and coherence analysis on the analyzed data.
– Evaluation of the social impact of disinformation: The University of Aizu and the University of Tokyo will develop an AI model capable of evaluating the spread and social impact of disinformation, considering factors such as the speed of dissemination and similarity to previous disinformation.
Fujitsu: technology and collaboration for global impact
Fujitsu has led numerous efforts in the field of cybersecurity and, with this project, aims to address the issue of disinformation comprehensively. According to Vivek Mahajan, Corporate Vice President and CTO of Fujitsu, the company is committed to contributing advanced technological solutions to combat this social challenge, working alongside academic and governmental institutions to ensure the project has a significant impact.
Future and project outlook
The development of the platform will be divided into stages throughout fiscal year 2024, focusing on creating use cases for private companies and public entities, as well as defining the functional requirements of the system. The complete platform, which will integrate all the mentioned technologies, will be ready by 2025.
Fujitsu and its partners’ vision is not only to protect Japan against disinformation but also to contribute to economic stability and strengthen the country’s global position through the creation of advanced information analysis and management tools. This project marks a milestone in the collaboration between academia and the private sector in Japan, with the potential to set a global standard in the fight against disinformation.