eBay is using AI to field reports of violations, and it's failing miserably

[polkatommy]

I'm very concerned about eBay's ineffectual use of AI because sometimes it absolutely requires a human to decipher whether or not a reported item for sale is prohibited.

For example, red and blue LED emergency vehicle lights are prohibited on eBay, but now and then they still slip under the radar because savvy sellers have learned lots of tricks to cheat the system. For example, they won't outright say the lights they're selling are red and blue, but they might post a photo with red and blue crayons next to the lights, or they'll take a photo of the product sticker on the light housing, and the sticker will reveal the color of the lights in the model number (eg. "J917-46 R/B".)

Artificial intelligence isn't smart enough decipher these tricks! It takes a human to understand what's being sold, what's the product photos are revealing, and how sellers are cheating the system. I've had success getting red and blue emergency lights pulled off the platform in years past, but since eBay started using AI, lots of reports are bouncing back with, "These listings have not been removed. This determination was made using automation or artificial intelligence. ... Please don't reply to this message."

There are now several active listings on eBay for professional-grade red and blue emergency vehicle lights because the stupid AI has no freaking clue what it's looking at.  And the form responses I've received were clearly final decisions as they've provided no option for me to appeal.

It is therefore accurate, and unfortunate, to announce that eBay's relegation of member reports to AI fosters the aiding of the dangerous crime of police impersonation. I'm not angry with the AI because it doesn't know any better. I'm angry with eBay because they do know better. What a shame.

[cowboykites1]

There is no actual “corporate intelligence”, “executive intelligence” or “board of director intelligence” at eBay.  

Anybody that thinks a company like eBay is going to deploy artificial intelligence successfully hasn’t noticed the unregulated operational abortion eBay has been for at least two decades.

Maybe eBay can spend ANOTHER 50 million on a better Booz Allen data chimp executive that UNDERSTANDS why his compensation defines him as just another inbred corporate looter dirtbag that adds no value, no substance and no growth to the eBay experience.

eBay will get more out of the shills in its “community” to deny and deflect its real issues, than it ever will applying AI to its operations.

[eburtonlab]

I would not let an AI-generated form letter discourage you from reporting listing violations.

Just because the AI was unable to identify a violation does not mean that the issue won't be looked at by a human that may come to a different conclusion.

It seems to be the case that the more independent reports about a listing eBay receives, the more likely it is that a human will wind up looking at the listing.