Mike Pappas discusses Modulate's Toxmod, a sophisticated voice AI that analyzes emotional nuance and behavioral dynamics in online interactions. Initially focused on combating toxicity and promoting positivity in gaming, the technology is now expanding to address fraud and challenges like deepfakes. Mike emphasizes the importance of transparency with users, collaboration with studios based on their codes of conduct, and a privacy-centric approach focusing on behaviors, not individuals.

Key Themes & Insights:

• Advanced  Voice Analysis: Toxmod interprets emotion, nuance, and behavioral impacts in voice, not just words, to identify harmful or positive interactions.
• Studio Collaboration & Transparency: Modulate tunes Toxmod to studio-specific guidelines, with studios making final decisions. Open communication with players about moderation is crucial.
• Privacy-Conscious Moderation: The system focuses on identifying harmful or positive behaviors exhibited by users, rather than building profiles of individuals.
• Expanding Beyond Gaming: Originally for gaming toxicity, Modulate's tech is now being applied to detect fraud and improve interactions in other sectors, like call centers.
• Addressing Evolving Threats: The technology can help identify synthetically generated audio often used in scams, treating it as a form of fraud when coupled with problematic behavior.

Resources Mentioned:

• Modulate: modulate.ai

Subscribe to Player Driven for more insights and share this episode!