GetReal Lands $17.5 Million To Tackle Deepfakes With AI

Deepfakes are evolving and these AI-generated videos and audio recordings can make it look like anyone is doing or saying things they never did. Initially, it may appear to be innocuous technology, merely a means of generating amusing fabricated videos. In 2022, a 17-second video clip showed President Biden speaking about the January 6th riots, where protesters stormed the U.S. Capitol building. 

Initially, it appears to be an innocuous technology, merely a means of generating amusing fabricated videos. However, rapidly, the ramifications begin to accumulate. Disinformation disseminates with unprecedented alacrity, persuading individuals of falsehoods presented on their displays.

But this company wants to catch them all.

Combating Misinformation with AI

GetReal is a platform designed to combat the growing threat of deepfakes. It uses AI to detect and verify whether videos, audio, or images are real or manipulated. The goal of GetReal is to protect individuals, businesses, and governments from misinformation and deception caused by deepfake technology. 

But the company believes that artificial intelligence alone is not enough. Critical and complex cases may require human expertise for deep forensic analysis.

Ballistic Ventures is at the core of GetReal. Incubated at Ballistic Ventures in 2022 and launched in June 2024, its foundation is built on expertise.

But the real linchpin behind this ideation is Dr Hany Farid, a leading expert in digital forensics and artificial intelligence. He recognized that deepfake technology could potentially cause harm to trust and security. 

Because of this, he used his expertise in AI and digital forensics to create a solution that could accurately detect and authenticate digital content. His goal was to equip individuals and organizations with tools to combat misinformation and uphold the integrity of digital media.

On the company he once said, “We knew from the start that we wanted our company to be anchored in more than AI because AI alone isn’t enough to combat the malicious uses of deepfakes – real insight comes from combining cutting-edge forensic analysis with forensic expertise and investigative rigor to truly uncover and explain digital deception and manipulation.”

Even though CEO Matt Moynahan has become one of the star faces of the company, he was not part of this company from the beginning, a cybersecurity veteran with decades of experience heading up companies like Symantec and Forcepoint, he has become one of the forces in the house since 2024.

When asked, what made him join GetReal?

He said, “I wasn’t expecting to go back to a start-up again, but this mission is perhaps the most compelling of my career.” 

Going Beyond AI for Deeper Analysis

GetReal’s AI-powered platform identifies and verifies digital content, helping users combat misinformation and digital deception. Its sophisticated AI algorithms conduct forensic analyses of audio, video, and images, detecting inconsistencies and artifacts that may escape human notice. By recognising these telltale signs of manipulation, GetReal can effectively distinguish between authentic and fabricated content, including deepfakes and other misleading media.

Amongst other things, the GetReal Lab compares patterns in human behaviour and interactions to to detect inconsistencies, while physical surroundings are assessed for 3D authenticity.

The team of GetReal has begun building this transformative cybersecurity space at GetReal Security – one that exists to help protect enterprises, governments and media from the associated threats of generative AI and malicious digital media, one of the co-founders recently posted. 

It has secured $17.5M in Series A funding. The round was led by Forgepoint Capital, a global early-stage cybersecurity and AI investment firm. Ballistic Ventures, Evolution Equity, and K2 Access Fund also participated in the round, along with strategic investors In-Q-Tel (IQT), Cisco Investments, and Capital One Ventures.

GetReal will use the new capital to boost R&D, product development, and go-to-market operations to address the evolving threat environment in generative AI and digital content.

The company realized that while AI brings many opportunities, it also creates new challenges for businesses. 

One big concern is how easily AI can be used to create fake content. Cybercriminals are already using it to make convincing fake videos, emails, and other digital content to trick people. They’re fooling employees into giving away sensitive information, convincing executives to approve fraudulent transactions, and tricking customers into trusting fake messages. 

As AI gets more advanced, these threats are becoming harder to spot, which is why businesses need stronger protections against this kind of manipulation.

That’s where GetReal comes in, offering a complete set of solutions designed to help organisations effectively manage risk and mitigate threats from these new types of AI-fuelled attacks.

GetReal’s emergence, backed by significant funding, a stellar team, and an impressive client roster, positions them as a strong contender in the battle against AI deepfakes.