AI misinformation is rampant as election year looms. These startups think they can help fix the problem.
Deepfake detection is a burgeoning market: In 2023, startups combatting technology misinformation raised $313 million — up 67% from funding in 2021, per PitchBook data. And this year, deal count remains consistent with previous years, with 11 companies cinching investor funding so far. Kent Nishimura/Getty, freestylephoto/Getty, Tyler Le/BI
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In March, a photo of former U.S. President Trump embracing a group of smiling Black voters started circulating online.
While the hyperrealistic image initially fooled swathes of social media users, many were quick to point out its uncanny qualities: missing fingers, extra teeth, and glossy skin — hallmark signs of artificial intelligence-generated images.
A BBC investigation later confirmed that these images were AI-generated, with one created and circulated by conservative radio show host Mark Kaye.
Deepfakes like these are the product of AI used for illicit purposes. They're often hard to distinguish from real photos, videos, or audio, so they've become an easy tool for bad-faith actors. According to verification platform Sumsub, which examined more than two million fraud attempts, the number of deepfakes increased tenfold from 2022 to 2023.
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