UK Partners with Microsoft to Boost Deepfake Detection Efforts

The UK government has announced plans to collaborate with Microsoft researchers and industry specialists to create a new system for identifying deepfake content circulating online.

According to an official statement reported by Reuters, the initiative aims to establish clear benchmarks for detecting and evaluating harmful and misleading material generated using artificial intelligence. The move reflects growing concern over the rapid rise of highly realistic fake images, videos and audio, driven by the widespread use of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT and similar platforms.

While digitally manipulated media has existed for many years, advances in AI have significantly increased both the volume and sophistication of deepfakes, making them harder to detect and easier to misuse.

Britain has already taken steps to address the issue by criminalising the creation of non-consensual intimate images. Building on that effort, the government is now developing a deepfake detection evaluation framework designed to bring consistency to how detection technologies are tested and assessed.

Technology Minister Liz Kendall warned that deepfakes are increasingly being exploited for criminal activity, including scams, the exploitation of women and girls, and efforts to erode public confidence in digital content. The new initiative, she said, is intended to strengthen safeguards and help protect people from these emerging online threats.