Fox Corp. has unveiled Verify, a technical protocol made to address the challenges posed by artificial intelligence, particularly the use of large language models (LLMs) in developing content.
In an announcement made on Jan. 9, Polygon Labs said Fox had released Verify “to establish the history and origin of registered media” used by artificial intelligence (AI) firms. Fox’s technology team developed Verify.
Fox Corp launches #Polygon-based blockchain platform to address AI firms’ use of content👍#Polygon said the Verify protocol would be able to confirm whether Fox-created content used on another platform had been verified by the media outlet#Polygon is no longer just an L2👀 pic.twitter.com/Lk23N6h8Au
— Ajay Kashyap (@EverythingAjay) January 9, 2024
According to Polygon, “With this technology, readers will know for sure that an article or image that purportedly comes from a publisher originated at the source.”
“As AI-generated text and images flow more widely online, Verify will be able to help consumers not only identify the veritable source of content but also give media publishers more control over relationships with AI platforms scraping the web.”
The Uniqueness of Verify
With Verify, media companies can register their content, establishing their usage rights for AI platforms, including attribution and potential compensation. The blockchain-based system of smart contracts makes this achievable. Verify also provides users with a tool to ascertain the originality of the content, especially images and article links from recognized sources.
Verify uses blockchain technology to establish the source and history of original content. Every piece of content is cryptographically signed and stored on the blockchain, thus enabling consumers to ascertain where it’s coming from, either from their trusted publisher or other sources. Trustworthiness and transparency are ensured in the digital content ecosystem.
The Verify system also establishes a technical bridge between media companies and AI companies’ LLMs through the verified access point for content. Fox Corp.’s chief technology officer said this could create new commercial opportunities for content owners through programmatic access conditions.
Fox Corp. Unveils the ‘Verify’ Tool
The Verify Tool is available to users at verify.fox, and this is in line with Fox Corp.’s efforts to safeguard its content in this era of artificial intelligence models like ChatGPT and OpenAI.
Given the several allegations that Fox News has reportedly promoted falsehoods, the efforts of the cable network’s parent company to ensure the authenticity of its content will sound ironic to some. To settle a defamation lawsuit filed by Dominion Voting Systems, Fox News agreed to pay $787.5 million last year.
Dominion and Fox News reach $787.5 million settlement in defamation lawsuit https://t.co/fdmVRViSSy
(This is a travesty. Less than 20% of Faux's cash one hand and the only admission: "the court’s rulings finding certain claims about Dominion to be false."— John Lounsbury (@jlounsbury59) April 18, 2023
It had been alleged that Fox News repeatedly and knowingly aired false news about Dominion Voting Systems’ actions and influence on the 2020 U.S. presidential election. Smartmatic, another voting technology company, slammed Fox with a second defamation lawsuit for at least $2.7 billion.
With the introduction of artificial intelligence tools, Fox Corp. sees the need to protect its intellectual property.
Melody Hildebrandt, Fox Corp.’s chief technology officer, said:
“With the explosion of ChatGPT and OpenAI, we felt this was a moment to introduce a set of controls for how [Fox’s content] is utilized in this space.”.
On Aug. 23, 2023, Fox launched an internal beta version of Verify to coincide with the first GOP candidates’ primary debate on Fox News. Presently, content from Fox News, Fox Sports, Fox Business, and recently Fox’s television stations has been signed to the Verify content graph, totaling approximately 84,000 pieces of content, including both articles and images.
For the Verify project, Fox initially focused on text and images for its digital news and sports content rather than episodic TV shows.
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