Microsoft’s Azure AI Content Safety service includes image and text detection to identify and grade content based on the likelihood that it will cause harm. Credit: Shutterstock Microsoft has announced the general availability of its Azure AI Content Safety, a new service that helps users detect and filter harmful AI- and user-generated content across applications and services. The service includes text and image detection and identifies content that Microsoft terms “offensive, risky, or undesirable,” including profanity, adult content, gore, violence, and certain types of speech. “By focusing on content safety, we can create a safer digital environment that promotes responsible use of AI and safeguards the well-being of individuals and society as a whole,” wrote Louise Han, product manager for Azure Anomaly Detector, in a blog post announcing the launch. Azure AI Content Safety has the ability to handle various content categories, languages, and threats to moderate both text and visual content. It also offers image features that use AI algorithms to scan, analyze, and moderate visual content, ensuring what Microsoft terms 360-degree comprehensive safety measures. The service is also equipped to moderate content across multiple languages and uses a severity metric which provides an indication of the severity of specific content on a scale ranging from 0 to 7. Content graded 0-1 is deemed to be safe and appropriate for all audiences, while content that expresses prejudiced, judgmental, or opinionated views is graded 2-3, or low. Medium severity content is graded at 4-5 and contains offensive, insulting, mocking, intimidating language or explicit attacks against identity groups, while high severity content, which contains the harmful and explicit promotion of harmful acts, or endorses or glorifies extreme forms of harmful activity towards identity groups, is graded 6-7. Azure AI Content Safety also uses multicategory filtering to identify and categorize harmful content across a number of critical domains, including hate, violence, self-harm, and sexual. “[When it comes to online safety] it is crucial to consider more than just human-generated content, especially as AI-generated content becomes prevalent,” Han wrote. “Ensuring the accuracy, reliability, and absence of harmful or inappropriate materials in AI-generated outputs is essential. Content safety not only protects users from misinformation and potential harm but also upholds ethical standards and builds trust in AI technologies.” Azure AI Content Safety is priced on a pay-as-you-go basis. Interested users can check out pricing options on the Azure AI Content Safety pricing page. Related content news analysis Apple earnings: About that iPhone 'slump' in China Based on information from Thursday's earnings report, it seems that data pointing to an iPhone slump in China were over-baked. By Jonny Evans May 03, 2024 9 mins iMac iPhone Apple news Microsoft begins to phase out ‘classic’ Teams Microsoft is encouraging Teams customers to move to the new, faster version of the collaboration app; the older version will be switched off next year. By Matthew Finnegan May 03, 2024 3 mins Microsoft Teams Collaboration Software Productivity Software news analysis Apple confirms it will open up the iPad in Europe this fall The latest efforts to comply with Europe’s Digital Markets Act mean developers can offer to side load apps to both iPhones and iPads in the EU. Apple has also taken steps to improve what it offers to smaller and non-commercial developers in the By Jonny Evans May 02, 2024 6 mins iPad Apple Mobile Apps news Udacity offers laid-off US workers free access to its courses for 30 days Sign-ups will be available over the next 30 days By Lucas Mearian May 02, 2024 4 mins Technology Industry IT Jobs IT Skills Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe