McAfee has announced a new tool to help users identify whether the audio in videos they watch on platforms like YouTube or X is genuine or AI-generated. The tool, named McAfee Deepfake Detector, aims to address the growing challenge of distinguishing real content from deepfakes as AI technology becomes increasingly sophisticated.
As AI-generated content proliferates, tools that can reliably identify such content are still relatively uncommon. McAfee’s Deepfake Detector steps into this gap by focusing specifically on detecting AI-generated audio in virtually any audio or video stream available on a PC.
When the software detects AI-generated audio, it alerts the user with a red icon. Users can access more detailed information about the detected audio by clicking on this icon. However, the tool does not work with content protected by digital rights management (DRM), which typically involves material from significant studios or large companies.
Steve Grobman, McAfee's chief technology officer, highlighted the lowering barrier for creating AI-generated content, emphasizing the lack of reliable tools for consumers to identify such content. Deepfake Detector, which operates on a user’s computer rather than in the cloud, reflects McAfee’s focus on privacy and efficiency. Local processing protects user data and avoids the high bandwidth demands that cloud-based scanning would require.
Grobman noted that while deepfake detection might not be the most critical task to perform locally, McAfee is preparing for more sensitive AI applications in the future, such as malware detection. These applications could benefit from analyzing a broader array of content directly on the device to enhance privacy and efficiency.
The McAfee Deepfake Detector will initially be available exclusively on Lenovo Copilot+ PCs through mid-September, with plans for broader availability on other devices. Lenovo is in discussions with other PC manufacturers and is collaborating with Intel, signalling this tool's potential for widespread adoption.