Google says it will start offering media outlets an artificial intelligence tool designed to stamp out incendiary website comments. Called Perspective, the programming tool promises to moderate discussions by filtering out abusive or internet “troll” comments. Perspective’s application programming interface (API) uses machine learning to rate how users might react to comments. The tool, which will be provided to outlets free of charge, is currently being tested by The Economist, The Guardian, The New York Times and Wikipedia. Alberta’s ATB Financial has become the first full-service financial institution in North America to successfully facilitate payments using chatbot technology on Facebook Messenger. ATB will make chatbot banking available to a test group of customers this month. Banking with a chatbot is essentially the same as chatting with Facebook friends, with customers able to check account balances and make transactions on Messenger by asking questions or giving commands, such as: “How much money do I have in my savings account?” or “Please pay my cable bill.” ATB plans to add personal financial management capability on Facebook Messenger that will allow customers to check with the bot to see for example how much they’ve spent on gas this month. ATB and Finn.ai are collaborating to make conversational banking available on other platforms including SMS and Whatsapp.
