Facebook Introduces ‘DeepText’ AI-Based Text Understanding Engine; Rolls Out 1500 new Emojis on Messenger

Facebook has introduced a new machine-learning engine that is capable of interpreting the meaning and sentiment behind text posted by its users. Named DeepText, the AI-based language-interpreting engine is aimed at filtering spam and inappropriate content better, as well as ensure that relevant content are available more upfront. DeepText can analyze thousands of textual content in 20 languages per second with “near-human accuracy.”

DeepText features a number of deep neural network architectures, including recurrent and convolutional neural nets. It is trained by Torch and FbLearner Flow, and can perform both character-level and word-level interpretations. Trained DeepText models are served using FBLearner Predictor, which is a reliable and scalable distribution infrastructure. Using the self-serve architecture, Facebook’s engineers can develop new DeepText models as well.

In an official release, the Facebook Applied Machine Learning team explained, “Traditional NLP techniques require extensive preprocessing logic built on intricate engineering and language knowledge. There are also variations within each language, as people use slang and different spellings to communicate the same idea. Using deep learning, we can reduce the reliance on language-dependent knowledge, as the system can learn from text with no or little preprocessing. This helps us span multiple languages quickly, with minimal engineering effort.”

DeepText will be applied across Facebook ecosystem, including Messenger. According to Facebook, it will use DeepText to offer services and recommend actions to users depending on their posts. For instance, by understanding the meaning and intent of a conversation between two Messenger users discussing about booking a cab, the app can offer the option for the same.

The move can be expected raise privacy concerns in a substantial subset of Facebook users. The social networking giant had been at the center of controversies surrounding privacy earlier, and what challenges DeepText brings for it remains to be seen with time.

New Messenger emojis

Another major development in Facebook’s yard is the release of 1,500 new emojis for Messenger. Abiding by the Unicode Consortium’s standards, the new set of emojis allow users to customize the skin color according to their preference. The new emojis include female doctors, police officers, and more. Besides, red-headed characters have also been included. The underlying idea is to diversify emojis in terms of race and gender.