Deepfakes are everywhere. The godfather of digital forensics is fighting back.

The article focuses on the challenges of verifying the authenticity of digital images and videos in the age of artificial intelligence (AI), highlighting the work of Hany Farid, a leading expert in digital forensics at the University of California, Berkeley. Farid analyzes visual content by examining physical and geometric cues such as shadows, reflections, and physics consistency to detect manipulation, a method increasingly tested by sophisticated AI-generated fakes. Despite advances in AI making detection more difficult, Farid emphasizes the importance of human expertise combined with forensic techniques, while acknowledging the overwhelming scale of AI-generated misinformation. The article also discusses Farid’s broader contributions, including the development of PhotoDNA, a tool used to combat child sexual abuse material online, and reflects on the societal implications of AI-driven disinformation. [Extracted from the article]