AI can fake it – here’s tech to catch it

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In focus

For this edition, we cover:

• How the fight against AI-generated misinformation is developing
• Grants and freebies for startups in Singapore

Hello reader,

I almost missed the story you’re – hopefully – about to read on how tech is fighting AI misinformation.

I was talking to a source about some companies he was interested in when he mentioned a Web3 company that combats AI-generated misinformation. At the time, it seemed like a comment out of left field.

I almost ignored it – I’ve heard too many blockchain-is-going-to-save-the-world pitches.

Luckily, the part of my brain that focuses on AI heard the rest of what my source said and kicked me hard in the shin. Deepfakes, generative AI image engines, and chatbots are all great technologies, but when placed in the wrong hands, they can create some very scary content.

I made a mental note to look for more companies, and it didn’t take long to find them. Yat Siu, the executive chairman of Web3 gaming firm Animoca Brands, also let it drop in my interview with him that they were working on a similar project. Then Michelle, my colleague in Indonesia, told me about a Singapore-based company that could also talk about the issue.

By the end of the week, we even had a Sam Altman-owned company scheduled to talk to us.

The best part of meeting with these companies was hearing about the variety of techniques being created. Blockchain? Sure. Scaffolded AI? Sounds interesting. An iris-scanning Orb? I did not see that one coming.

Will all these tools work? AI development is moving so fast, so who knows? It’s a fantasy to think that any software offers the cure for all of AI’s ills, but it’s nice to see companies already working on the solutions.

Meanwhile, today’s Spotlight features a list of all the grants and free credits available to startups in Singapore.

Scott

The Big Story

Inside the race to detect AI’s most convincing fakes

Spotlight