An AI application developed by a queer engineer is transforming the internet into a safer environment, addressing one platform at a time

How an AI tool by a queer engineer is making the internet a safe place, one platform at a time
Aindriya Barua’s Shhor AI is an AI tool designed to detect and combat hate speech, especially in the Indian context.

Ten months prior, Pranshu, a 16-year-old queer artist from Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh, tragically took his own life. The catalyst for this heartbreaking decision was a barrage of hateful comments on his Instagram account. Pranshu’s situation is not an isolated incident. A report from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) last year indicated a 45 percent increase in reported cases of hate speech. Recognizing the urgency of addressing this issue, Aindriya Barua, a queer artist and AI engineer, developed Shhor AI, an application programming interface designed to eliminate hate speech from social media platforms. This innovative tool is specifically tailored to address the unique challenges of the Indian context.

The inception of Shhor AI
“I am an artist and activist hailing from rural Tripura. Throughout my upbringing, I faced challenges in finding acceptance due to my marginalized identity, yet I struggled to comprehend the reasons behind the differential treatment I received. I channeled these emotions into my art,” states Barua, who identifies as queer, indigenous, and neurodivergent. Barua uses they/them pronouns and identifies as non-binary. “When your lived experiences are steeped in marginalization, your art inherently takes on a political dimension—you do not have to make a conscious choice to do so,” Barua further explains.