Mozilla, the creator of the popular Firefox web browser, has acquired Fakespot, a New York-based startup that helps consumers identify fake or unreliable reviews.
The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Fakespot’s AI and machine learning system analyzes reviews and detects patterns and similarities to identify the most likely deceptive ones, providing a rating or grade for a product’s reviews to help consumers make informed decisions. Fakespot’s offerings can be used on various online marketplaces, including Amazon, Yelp, and TripAdvisor.
The acquisition aims to provide Firefox users with a trustworthy shopping tool that will help improve the e-commerce experience. Mozilla Chief Product Officer Steve Teixeira stated that the Mozilla team will invest in enhancing the Fakespot experience and introduce Fakespot functionality to Firefox over time. The addition of Fakespot’s capabilities is expected to make Firefox customers the best equipped to cut through deceptive reviews and shop with confidence.
While AI and machine learning have been used for years to detect fake reviews, the task is likely to get more difficult with the introduction of enhanced and commercially available AI tools.
For instance, recent reports indicate that people are using AI chatbots, such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, to write reviews for products on Amazon, posing a challenge to the authenticity of reviews.
Mozilla’s acquisition of Fakespot comes a few weeks after the launch of Mozilla.ai, an AI-focused startup. The newly formed company’s mission is to build trustworthy and open-source AI, according to Mark Surman, the executive president of Mozilla and head of Mozilla.ai.
The acquisition of Fakespot is a strategic move for Mozilla, which aims to position itself as a trusted source of information and services for its users. With the rise of online shopping and the increasing difficulty of identifying fake reviews, the addition of Fakespot’s capabilities is likely to be a welcome feature for Firefox users.
The move also aligns with Mozilla’s mission to build trustworthy and open-source AI and technologies that can benefit its users.
