Protecting Truth and Democracy in the Age of AI, Deepfakes, and Misinformation

In today’s era of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), distinguishing between authentic and altered content has become increasingly difficult. Whether it's videos, photos, or audio files, AI-driven manipulation has raised significant concerns about content integrity.  
 
According to Security.org, more than 10% of companies have dealt with deepfake fraud attempts, and these attacks have caused some companies to lose up to 10% of their annual profits. Additionally, 80% of companies admit they have no formal protocols in place to prevent or respond to deepfake threats. These alarming trends reinforce the critical need for deepfake detection and content verification technologies. 

To address these issues, the global Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA), in collaboration with leading tech organizations, has developed Content Credentials. Content Credentials, implemented via the C2PA standard, allow content creators to attach information about the origins and history of a piece of content, such as who created it, when, and how, to a digital asset.  

With the release of the next generation of the C2PA standard, C2PA 2.1, Content Credentials are now strengthened with digital watermarks – creating a durable link between a digital asset and its provenance information. Digimarc is at the forefront of these developments, as a co-chair of the C2PA watermarking task force and launching the industry first standard implementation of content credentials recovery based on watermarks.  

These advanced protections for both content creators and consumers are a key focus of a recent episode of the Art of the Possible podcast titled, "Protecting Truth and Democracy in the Age of AI, Deepfakes, and Misinformation.” Host Tony Rodriguez, alongside Hany Farid, Professor of Computer Science at UC Berkeley and Chief Science Officer at GetReal Labs, engage in a conversation about the importance of multi-faceted solutions to counter AI-driven misinformation. 

An important highlight from this discussion is the critical role of content verification in managing the challenges brought about by rapidly advancing AI technologies. Tony and Hany address the concept of the Liar’s Dividend, where public figures claim that incriminating photos or stories are deepfakes to discredit factual evidence. This tactic makes the verification of facts even more vital. 

Don’t miss this opportunity to gain a broader perspective on the critical roles of content verification, regulation, and public education in combating the threat, offering a comprehensive perspective on how society can navigate the challenges posed by rapidly advancing AI.   

The Art of the Possible podcast is available on Spotify, iTunes, or your favorite podcast platform.