Introducing World’s First Automatic and AI-powered Deepfake Detector | McAfee Blog

In today’s digital age, the line between reality and digital fabrication is increasingly blurred, thanks to the rise of deepfake technology. Deepfakes, sophisticated audio manipulations, are becoming a growing concern as they become more realistic and harder to detect. The impact of a deepfake scam can be life-altering, with victims reporting losses ranging from $250 to over half a million dollars. And while not all AI content is created with malicious intent, the ability to know if a video is real or fake helps consumers make smart and well-informed decisions.  

“Knowledge is power, and this has never been more true than in the AI-driven world we’re living in today,” said Roma Majumder, Senior Vice President of Product at McAfee. “No more wondering, is this Warren Buffet investment scheme legitimate, does Taylor Swift really want to givea way cookware to fans, or did Trump or Harris actually say these words? The answers are provided to you automatically and within seconds with McAfee Deepfake Detector.

“At McAfee, we’re inspired by the transformative potential of AI and are committed to helping shape a future where AI is used for good. Teaming up with Lenovo boosts our ability to deliver the most effective, automated, AI-powered deepfake detection, offering people a powerful digital guardian on their PCs. Together, we’re able to harness AI in new and revolutionary ways, empowering individuals with the most advanced deepfake detection so they can navigate the evolving online world safely and confidently,” concluded Majumder.

Recognizing the urgency of this issue, McAfee and Lenovo have come together to empower consumers with privacy-focused, cutting-edge technology designed to identify these deceptive creations and tackle consumer concerns around identifying deepfake scams and misinformation.

What are deepfakes? 

In today’s digital landscape, where social media and viral content dominate, distinguishing between what’s real and what’s fabricated online is becoming increasingly challenging. Deepfakes, a term that combines ‘deep learning’ and ‘fake’, are hyper-realistic videos or images created using artificial intelligence to deceive viewers. 

Imagine seeing a video of your favorite celebrity in a film they never acted in, or a politician delivering a speech they never actually gave. This is the realm of deepfakes. By utilizing AI, creators can manipulate faces, alter voices, and choreograph actions that never occurred. While some deepfakes are created for entertainment, like humorous videos of talking pets, others serve more sinister purposes. They can be tools for spreading false information, influencing political views, or damaging reputations. 

The Dangers of Deepfakes 

Here are a few ways harmful deepfakes can impact us: 

• Consumer Deception: A deepfake video of a celebrity endorsing a product they’re not actually associated with could trick you into making an unwanted purchase. 

• Political Manipulation: An altered audio clip of a politician could completely change your perspective on their stance, influencing your political decisions. 

• Viral Misinformation: Misleading deepfakes can spread rapidly online, promoting false narratives. 

• Personal Attacks: Scammers might use AI to mimic the voice of a family member in distress, tricking you into sending money. 

By staying informed and scrutinizing media before sharing, you can improve your ability to spot fakes and reduce the risk of falling victim to these sophisticated scams. 

Stay Informed with McAfee Smart AI Hub 

The McAfee Smart AI Hub at McAfee.ai is the online, go-to destination for the latest information and educational content related to AI and cybersecurity, with a focus on deepfakes and AI-driven scams. The Hub also empowers consumers to join the fight against scams by submitting suspicious videos for analysis by McAfee’s advanced AI-powered deepfake detection technology. Insights and trends identified through this analysis will be used to further educate the public, enriching societal understanding and awareness of deepfakes and other artificially generated content, and enhancing everyone’s ability to navigate and stay safe in a digital world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence. 

McAfee Deepfake Detector: Smart AI at Your Service 

With McAfee Deepfake Detector now available exclusively on Lenovo AI PCs, consumers who opt in are alerted within seconds if AI-altered audio is detected in videos, without needing to rely on laborious manual video uploads. By leveraging the power of the Neural Processing Unit (NPU), McAfee’s AI detection models perform the entire identification process – known as inference – directly on the PC, maximizing on-device processing to keep private user data off the cloud. McAfee does not collect or record a user’s audio in any way, and the user is always in control and can turn audio detection on or off as desired. McAfee’s powerful AI technology boasts a 96% accuracy rate, equipping consumers with advanced AI detection to combat the rise in AI-generated scams, deepfakes, and misinformation.

By leveraging the NPU and performing analysis on-device, McAfee provides comprehensive privacy, boosts processing speed, and improves battery life. These advancements significantly enhance the consumer experience, allowing people to make informed decisions about the content they view and protect them against cybercrooks manipulating video audio without compromising the quality or speed of their PC. This ensures consumers can use their PC as usual – whether they’re gaming, browsing, or watching videos – while McAfee Deepfake Detector works quietly in the background, protecting people against deceptions and scams without compromising performance.

“The collaboration between Lenovo and McAfee combines the unique expertise of two global leaders to deliver innovative solutions that empower consumers to live their online lives more confidently,” said Igor Bergman, Vice President of Lenovo Cloud and Software, Intelligent Devices Group. “Data shows that nearly two-thirds of people (64%) are more concerned about deepfakes now than they were a year ago¹. Lenovo’s expertise as an end-to-end technology solutions leader and McAfee’s experience in AI-powered online protection perfectly complement each other, optimizing hardware and software capabilities for the benefit of the consumer.”

Availability and Pricing

McAfee Deepfake Detector is available for English language detection in all new Lenovo AI PCs, ordered on Lenovo.com and select local retailers beginning on August 21, 2024, starting in the US, and then rolling out to the UK and Australia later this year.