Facebook, Microsoft and the Partnership on AI Form the Deepfake Detection Challenge

Facebook chief technology officer Mike Schroepfer said in a blog post this week that the social network is taking steps to combat deepfakes, with some highly qualified assistance. Facebook is teaming up with Microsoft, the Partnership on Artificial Intelligence to Benefit People and Society and academics from Cornell Tech, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Oxford, University of California-Berkeley, the University of Maryland-College Park and the University at Albany-State University of New York on the Deepfake Detection Challenge. The goal of the Deepfake Detection Challenge is to develop technology to better detect when AI was used to alter videos and mislead viewers. Schroepfer said the Deepfake Detection Challenge will include a realistic data set, featuring paid actors, adding that user data from the social network will not be used. Facebook is dedicating over $10 million to fund the industrywide effort, including the funding of research collaboration and prizes for the challenge.