Search Search Facebook using artificial intelligence to help suicidal users The AI tool would send concerning posts to a human review team, which would get in touch with the user / Getty The company has developed algorithms designed to flag up warning signs 6169789578 Click to follow The Independent Tech Facebook has started using artificial intelligence to identify users who are potentially at risk of taking their own lives.
 The social network has developed algorithms capable of scanning posts and comments for warning signs.
 These could be phrases such as “Are you okay?
” or “I’m worried about you”, or more general talk of sadness and pain.
 The AI tool would send such posts to a human review team, which would get in touch with the user thought to be at risk and offer help, in the form of contact details for support services or a chat with a member of staff through Facebook Messenger.
 Sow Ay illustration's on mental health - In pictures Sow Ay illustration's on mental health - In pictures The site had previously relied on other users reporting worrying updates.
 “The AI is actually more accurate than the reports that we get from people that are flagged as suicide and self injury,” Facebook product manager Vanessa Callison-Burch told BuzzFeed.
 “The people who have resources of support versus people reporting to us.
” The system is currently being tested in the US.
 The site has also announced new safety features for Facebook Live, which has been used to live stream several suicides.
 Users can now flag up concerning Facebook Live behaviour with the site, which will display advice and highlight the video to staff for immediate review.
 The goal is to provide help as quickly as possible, mid-broadcast rather than post-broadcast.
 “Some might say we should cut off the stream of the video the moment there is a hint of somebody talking about suicide,” said Jennifer Guadagno, the project’s lead researcher.
 Will AI ever understand human emotions?
 “But what the experts emphasised was that cutting off the stream too early would remove the opportunity for people to reach out and offer support.
 So, this opens up the ability for friends and family to reach out to a person in distress at the time they may really need it the most.
” Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg described plans to use AI to identify worrying content in a recently published manifesto.
 “Looking ahead, one of our greatest opportunities to keep people safe is building artificial intelligence to understand more quickly and accurately what is happening across our community,” it read.
 An earlier version of the piece said that it would take “many years to develop” AI systems capable of identifying issues such as bullying and terrorism risks online, but the section was removed before the manifesto was publicly issued.
 Comments Most Popular Video Sponsored Features We use cookies to enhance your visit to our site and to bring you advertisements that might interest you.
 Read our Privacy and Cookie Policies to find out more.
 We've noticed that you are using an ad blocker.
 Advertising helps fund our journalism and keep it truly independent.
 It helps to build our international editorial team, from war correspondents to investigative reporters, commentators to critics.
 Click here to view instructions on how to disable your ad blocker, and help us to keep providing you with free-thinking journalism - for free.
 Thank you for your support.
 How to disable your ad blocker for independent.
co.
uk Adblock / Adblock Plus address bar.
 for the current website you are on.
 If you are in Firefox click "disable on independent.
co.
uk".
 Firefox Tracking Protection cause the adblock notice to show.
 It can be temporarily disabled by clicking the "shield" icon in the address bar.
 Ghostery Trusted Site list.
 whitelisted".
 uBlock and its state will be remembered next time you visit the web site.
 Thank you for supporting independent.
co.
uk