Shhor AI: A Ground-breaking Tool to Combat Online Hate and Empower Marginalized Voices
Ten months ago, Pranshu, a 16-year-old queer artist from Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, tragically died by suicide. The cause? A barrage of hateful comments and harassment on their Instagram account. Sadly, Pranshu’s experience is not an isolated one. According to a National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report from last year, hate speech cases in India have surged by 45%. This alarming statistic prompted Aindriya Barua, a queer artist and AI engineer, to take action.
Barua developed Shhor AI, an innovative AI-powered application programming interface (API) designed to detect and eliminate hate speech from social media platforms—tailored specifically to the Indian context.
The Vision Behind Shhor AI
"I’m an artist and activist from rural Tripura. Growing up with a marginalized identity, I often felt out of place, but I couldn’t fully grasp why I was treated differently. I expressed these emotions through my art," says Barua, who is queer, indigenous, and neurodivergent. They identify as non-binary and prefer the pronouns they/them.
Barua continues, “When you live through marginalization, your art becomes inherently political—it doesn’t need to be a choice; it’s just part of your experience.” Their journey from art to activism was deeply influenced by their own struggles with discrimination and hate.
Barua, who is also a computer science graduate, recalls how their online experience mirrored the prejudice they faced in the real world. "When I started sharing my art online, I found a community of people who understood my experiences. While many were supportive, there was also a significant amount of hate and abuse. This made me realize that the same discrimination we face offline is now being mirrored in digital spaces," Barua shares.
This realization became the catalyst for Shhor AI, a tool aimed at addressing the growing issue of online hate. The application uses advanced AI and natural language processing (NLP) to detect and remove harmful language, helping create safer online spaces for marginalized communities.
From Concept to Recognition
Shhor AI, which was launched in 2024, quickly gained recognition for its innovative approach. The AI solution was awarded the prestigious Just AI Award 2024 in the 'AI for Social Good' category at the Global AI Summit 2024 in Hyderabad. These awards, organized by the Digital Empowerment Foundation in partnership with the Telangana government and the World Summit Awards, celebrate tech innovations that prioritize social impact and citizen welfare.
Barua’s journey into the world of artificial intelligence was grounded in their academic background in computer science. During their college years, Barua became particularly interested in Natural Language Processing (NLP), a branch of AI that focuses on understanding human language. "My research at the time was centered on Indian languages and transformer models, the very foundation of what we now know as large language models (LLMs)," Barua explains. This research was done in 2020, before LLMs became mainstream.
With a deep understanding of AI and NLP, Barua saw an opportunity to use their skills to address the pressing issue of online hate. "I began working on this project in my spare time while employed as an AI engineer, and it gradually evolved into Shhor AI," says Barua.
A Technological Solution to a Social Issue
Shhor AI is not just a technological breakthrough; it is a social tool aimed at creating safer, more inclusive online spaces. By targeting harmful content rooted in casteism, racism, homophobia, and other forms of hate, Shhor AI empowers users and platforms to take action against online abuse. The AI tool's potential impact is profound, especially in India, where online harassment disproportionately affects marginalized communities.
Barua's work represents a fusion of their passion for art, activism, and technology. “Tech can be a powerful tool for social change, and I want Shhor AI to be part of the solution to create a safer, more respectful online space for everyone,” they say.
As hate speech continues to rise on social media, innovations like Shhor AI offer hope for a future where digital spaces are as inclusive and supportive as they should be. With their groundbreaking work, Barua is leading the charge to transform how we address online hate—and to ensure that stories like Pranshu’s are no longer written in silence.
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