Tech
Blockchain technology could be the answer to discovering deepfakes and validating content
Two months ago, media giant Fox Corp. partnered with Polygon Labs, the team behind the Ethereum-focused layer-2 blockchain, to address false mistrust.
Fox and Polygon have launched Verify, a protocol that aims to protect their intellectual property by allowing consumers to verify the authenticity of content. And since then, government regulatory boards, publishers and others have seen this as a viable solution to a “today’s problem,” said Fox Corp. CTO Melody Hildebrandt. TechCrunch Chain Reaction Podcast.
Hildebrandt said he is optimistic that more news outlets, media companies and others will integrate this technology as AI technology becomes mainstream. It could be beneficial for both companies and AI creators: models gain knowledge and outlets, and individuals can verify their work.
And it matters to end users, who aren’t sure whether the content they’re consuming is trustworthy or not, Mike Blank, COO of Polygon Labs, said during the episode.
“Obviously there’s pace on the hill,” Hildebrandt said. While most publishers want to participate in this type of ecosystem, they don’t want to give away “all the jewels in their crown,” he added. This means imposing some technical barriers that allow creators to move forward, but still be able to maintain some options in the future.
“We had this immediate ‘aha’ moment,” Hildebrandt said. “I think we could look at blockchain provenance as a kind of basis for thinking about the question of “input into the model” and how to think about provenance and media in an AI-generated world.”
There is an opportunity for blockchains to help establish the veracity of data and authenticate content that proliferates on the Internet, Blank said. The hope is to uncover untrustworthy content so consumers can feel comfortable in a world where things can’t always be trusted.
One of the main advantages of blockchain technology is the ability to store data in a way that guarantees its integrity. Blockchains can also cryptographically validate the authenticity of images, text, video, or other media assets.
“When you put that content on chain, you can now validate that the content was created by a particular individual or brand,” Blank said.
Ultimately, it’s in a brand’s best interest to proactively provide verified information, Blank said. “It will be increasingly easier for end users to understand where they are getting their content from and whether it is actually valid or verified in some way.”
AI-derived content is being generated at an unprecedented rate and will continue as AI becomes more capable. “I think we all need to work together to ensure that the technological environment that we’re creating allows us to solve this problem at a pace at which, once again, the end user can actually consume,” Blank said.
This story was inspired by an episode of TechCrunch’s Chain Reaction podcast. subscribe to activate the chain reaction Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favorite pod platform to hear more stories and tips from the entrepreneurs building today’s most innovative companies.
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