Reality Defender, an AI security firm, took home the “Most Innovative Startup” award at this year’s RSA Conference Innovation Sandbox contest. The annual competition highlights promising cybersecurity companies addressing critical challenges facing organizations and governments.
The Rise of Deepfake Disinformation
Deepfakes, which use AI to create highly realistic but completely fabricated videos and audio, have already been weaponized for deception and harassment. From a school principal getting in trouble over a fake video to phishing attempts using AI-generated voices targeted at a LastPass employee, the dangers of undetected deepfakes cut across both personal and professional instances.
With major elections happening around the world in 2024, deepfake disinformation poses a serious risk to electoral integrity. A robocall campaign mimicking President Biden’s voice was used in voter suppression efforts prior to the New Hampshire primary just months ago in January.
“Eight out of the 10 most populous countries are having elections, half the world’s population is going to have an election” noted one of Innovation Sandbox judges Niloofar Razi Howe. Deepfakes are a “problem that we need to solve.”
Fighting AI with AI
Reality Defender meets this challenge by leveraging advanced AI systems to detect even the most sophisticated deepfakes. Their mission is to “use AI for the benefit of humanity, and to bring boundless expertise across deep tech industries to build the most comprehensive and reliable deepfake detection platform in the world.”
The recognition awarded to Reality Defender at RSAC continues a trend of AI security solutions winning the Most Innovative Startup prize. HiddenLayer won the Innovation Sandbox Contest in 2023. HiddenLayer’s winning technology focused on protecting AI systems from attacks aimed at undermining the AI models themselves.
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