Google Goes After Spam with AI Attack Dogs
 |
| informationliberation.com |
As email services go, Gmail has a lot of brags. It has meticulous malware and virus checking, a colossal amount of storage space, intuitive thread stacking and much more. One of its biggest advantages though is how well it handles spam. According to a recent blog post by product manager Sri Harsha Somanchi, the average Gmail inbox only contains 0.1% spam, and only 0.05% of spam emails are mistakenly categorised as standard ones.
It's impressive, for sure, but clearly not enough for the Google brass. Basically every tech giant is getting in on the AI act at the moment and Google are no different. Now, they've introduced artificial neural networks which are designed to hunt out spam that might stand a change of dodging the filter and marking it as such.
It's a personalised system, every time you've ever clicked that 'report spam' button, Google has made a note of it and it's those notes that the AI is reading. Even if you mistakenly subscribed to weekly news letters from some website or another, if you've been bouncing them over to the spam folder, the AI will now start doing it for you.
It might seem like a lot of effort just to downsize a 0.05% anomaly, but data gleaned from user email activity could lead to further AI optimisation in the near future. We reported a while back on Crystal, an email service which uses LinkedIn profile data to advise you on how to address different people in emails (formally, casually and so forth). With increased AI capability, services like that could grow exponentially.
Google are doing more than just outfitting Gmail with neural network bloodhounds though. They're also throwing in a new 'Postmaster Tools' feature aimed at companies and individuals that send high volumes of emails. Senders will get information back about how frequently their messages are marked as spam and shown ways to make it less likely to end up there.
Callum Davies
Callum is a film school graduate who is now making a name for himself as a journalist and content writer. His vices include flat whites and 90s hip-hop. Follow him @CallumAtSMF
Google Goes After Spam with AI Attack Dogs
Reviewed by Unknown
on
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
Rating:
Reviewed by Unknown
on
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
Rating:
Unknown
Keeping you up to date on social media, digital marketing, apps, news & reviews. Social media, and digital marketing as a whole, are rapidly and constantly changing, adapting to new developments at an ever increasing rate. Just keeping up to date can be a nightmare. Our team of writers know their field, and keep an ear to the ground. We aim to keep you informed of all recent developments in the online world, and teach you a little something along the way. So whether you just want to stay connected, or gain some knowledge for yourself, the Social Songbird will keep on singing! More articles are posted every day so keep checking back! Join the discussion on Twitter - #SocialSongbird Or contact us directly - @SocialSongbird_
Entrepreneur, international speaker on Social Media Marketing. First one in the UK to write and speak in conferences about Twitter as a marketing tool. Consultant to Corporate Companies, Government Organizations, Marketing Managers and Business Owners.
Aspiring novelist with a passion for fantasy and crime thrillers. He hopes to one day drop that 'aspiring' prefix. He started as a writer and soon after he was made Executive Editor and Manager of the team at Social Songbird. A position he held for 5 years.
Adrienne is a passionate writer with experience in editing, content creation, and social media marketing. She’s a lover of animals, helping others improve their writing, and 2000s pop culture.
Musician, audio technician, professional tutor and a Cambridge university English student. Interested in writing, politics and obsessed with reading.
Recently graduated with a BA in English Literature from the University of Exeter, and he is about to study an MA in Journalism at the University of Sheffield. He is an aspiring journalist and novelist; in his free time he enjoys playing chess, listening to music and taking long walks through nature.
Lucy is an undergraduate BSc Politics and International Relations student at the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Anna Coopey is a 4th year UG student in Classics at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. She is a keen writer and researcher on a number of topics, varying from Modern Greek literature to revolutionary theory.
Ellie is a recent BA English Literature graduate and aspiring publisher with a passion for writing. Her favourite pastimes include reading and shopping.