Key facts
- DetectifAI is developing compact AI models designed to run directly on smartphones for real-time deepfake voice detection.
- The company aims to prevent scams where AI-generated voices impersonate individuals, as experienced by founder Tarini Padmanabhuni's grandfather.
- US consumers lost nearly $900 million to AI-driven scams last year, with individuals aged 60 and older losing twice as much as those aged 50 to 59.
- DetectifAI's software development kit (SDK) is being licensed to phone manufacturers to integrate detection into operating systems.
- The startup has secured early revenue from financial institutions in India, handling over 100,000 calls monthly for debt collection and loan follow-ups.
- DetectifAI has received seed funding from investors Josh Constine and Manohar Kamath.
DetectifAI, a San Francisco-based startup, is developing technology to combat the growing problem of AI-driven voice scams. The company's founder, Tarini Padmanabhuni, was motivated to start the company after her grandfather fell victim to a deepfake voice scam, losing money to a fraudulent ransom demand.
According to the FBI, Americans lost close to $900 million to AI-driven scams in the past year, a 24% increase from the previous year, with older individuals being disproportionately affected. Padmanabhuni argues that existing deepfake detection products, which typically run on cloud servers, leave users vulnerable. DetectifAI's approach focuses on creating compact AI models that can operate directly within a smartphone's operating system, providing instant detection during calls and voice messages without the audio leaving the device.
The company is initially targeting phone manufacturers, licensing its software development kit (SDK) to enable built-in deepfake detection features. Padmanabhuni likens this strategy to AT&T's exclusive deal with the original iPhone, suggesting that early adopters will gain a competitive advantage and that such detection will become a standard feature. A secondary revenue stream is planned through licensing to businesses and fraud-prevention firms.
DetectifAI has already generated early revenue, processing over 100,000 calls monthly for financial institutions in India, where its technology provides deepfake detection and speaker verification for AI voice agents handling debt collections and loan follow-ups. Padmanabhuni, who began working in machine learning at age 12 and studied cyber-physical systems, also led India's first driverless racecar division in Formula Student. The startup has received seed funding from investors Josh Constine and Manohar Kamath and is set to compete in TechCrunch's Startup Battlefield competition.