KPMG LLP acquires stake in deepfake detection business Reality Defender

Audit, tax and advisory firm KPMG LLP has invested a minority stake in Reality Defender, a firm that provides technology to identify deepfakes. The specifics of the deal, including the price, have not been made public. Reality Defender's technology utilizes multimodal detection, which can work with various forms of communication and business applications.

It checks the authenticity of audio and video in real time, allowing companies to identify and respond to potential impersonation attempts and fraud. KPMG believes this capability can assist in combating AI-generated impersonation, fraud, and synthetic media risks. The investment will enable KPMG to integrate deepfake detection into its cyber and fraud prevention services as it seeks to establish new ways to verify the authenticity of increasingly prevalent deepfake content.

Reality Defender's co-founder and CEO, Ben Colman, stated that AI is transforming how businesses operate and how adversaries exploit trust. He explained that people once relied on familiar voices and faces as indicators of identity, but today, sophisticated synthetic media poses a challenge to this notion. Colman and KPMG aim to enhance organizations' defenses against AI-enabled fraud while maintaining trust in digital interactions that drive modern business.

This acquisition aligns with KPMG's broader strategy of assisting clients in adopting AI while mitigating associated risks through its cyber, risk, and transformation practice. It also underscores the increasing significance of trust infrastructure as AI reshapes how organizations communicate, conduct transactions, and make decisions.

Earlier this year, KPMG also acquired a stake in AI-driven credits and incentives technology company Incentify.