Xtract AI wins contract with Canada’s Defence department

Xtract AI, a wholly owned subsidiary of Toronto-based Patriot One Technologies Inc., has secured a 12-month contract worth $999,940 to adapt its artificial intelligence (AI) innovation platform to provide misinformation and disinformation detection for Canada’s Department of National Defence. The contract, awarded as part of Canada’s Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS) program, calls for Xtract AI to deliver a prototype. 

The system will be designed to provide the Canadian military and other organizations with early-warning detection when hostile powers spread deliberately false information (disinformation) about soldiers and officials stationed overseas. This information will enable Canadian authorities to launch pre-emptive communications and community outreach campaigns designed to counteract the disinformation and prevent potential confrontations with a misinformed public.

Identify when disinformation is being unleashed

“This is a real problem – hostile powers targeting citizens living in overseas communities with disinformation campaigns designed to turn public sentiment against the Canadians working in those communities,” said Justin Granek, vice president of operations at Xtract AI. “AI is well suited to this challenge, because it can process enormous amounts of online information and help identify when disinformation is being unleashed on a community. This can provide the actionable insights required to respond quickly and short-circuit the potential damage caused by these campaigns.”

According to Patriot One CEO Peter Evans, the disinformation-detection system leverages the PATSCAN AI innovation platform, and further enhances technology development for Patriot One’s core threat detection systems. “You can’t effectively secure a physical facility and the people inside unless you also have an online intelligence component, and that’s one of the powerful capabilities of AI,” Evans said. “That’s why our solution portfolio not only includes technology for detecting weapons and threats outside, at the point of entry, and inside of stadiums, casinos and other facilities; but also online, where planning and threats may occur days or even weeks before an event.

“What is most interesting to me about this contract is that the solution can be applied to both government and commercial applications,” Evans continued. “Gaining insights from online sources and correlating to detect intent, malicious or otherwise, provides a more robust and pre-emptive approach to enhance security for our customers.”