WAVES 2025 to Launch AI Solutions for Combating Misinformation in Live Broadcasting

The TruthTell Hackathon, as part of the inaugural World Audio-Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES 2025), has been formally announced by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in partnership with the India Cellular & Electronics Association (ICEA).

This intervention, as stated by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, will set a foundation for developing AI algorithms for real-time detection and verification of misinformation in a rapidly changing world of live television programs.

On today's media landscapes, misinformation spreads like wildfire, and the real challenge is to detect such false information during live telecasts that has never been more pressing.

To address this, the TruthTell Hackathon seeks developers, data scientists, and media personnel to create AI tools that could help to verify content in real time and develop credibility and transparency in the media ecosystem.

The cutting-edge technology would act in the defence of the integrity of information presented to the public.

With a total prize pool of Rs10 lakh, the hackathon invites participants from across the world to rise to the challenge of protecting viewers from misleading content.

The winners will not only get cash prizes but also invaluable mentorship and incubation assistance from leading tech professionals. These prizes encourage the ethical utilization of AI in the practice of journalism, fostering innovations that are compatible with world standards of truth and accuracy.

The response to the TruthTell Hackathon has indeed been overwhelming, with more than 5,600 registrations across the globe and a remarkable 36 percent participation from women.

The different impetus and enthusiasm of the crowd speak accurately to the wide interest in harnessing technology for media integrity. The hackathon results are expected to provide major Technological help in advancing responsible journalism while shielding viewers from falsehoods.

Developing AI toolkits to enable real-time detection and verification of information in the broadcast scene, thereby enhancing trust and transparency in the media landscape while fostering the ethical use of artificial intelligence in news reportage, is among the key objectives of this hackathon.

These goals hope for securing and ensuring certainty and accuracy of information in the face of digital media. The hackathon will develop in various phases, with the Prototype Submission Deadline being set for 21 February 2025, following which final presentations will occur late in March 2025 to finally showcase the winners at WAVES Summit 2025.

The timeline leaves room for refinement or showcasing of solutions, depending upon the innovative methods that might be used for combating misinformation.

Key government and tech partners, including the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY), IndiaAI Mission, and DataLEADS, support the TruthTell Hackathon, which runs as part of Season 1 of the Create in India Challenge (CIC).

Through these partnerships, ICEA has further consolidated its commitment to encouraging media technology innovation and safeguarding ethical broadcasting in India for years to come.

Registration for the TruthTell Hackathon is closing soon, with the prototype submission deadline fast approaching on 21st February 2025. To learn more and register, visit https://icea.org.in/truthtell/.