Ensuring That Seeing Is Believing

Built-in authentication is needed to differentiate real video from AI

A video goes viral. A screenshot sparks conversation. An audio file causes rumors to spread. A single frame steers everything from a boardroom decision to a jury’s vote.

The world now runs on digital media, but there’s a risk—the internet now manufactures “proof” on demand. Deepfakes and AI-generated forgeries are changing our perception of reality.

The reach of artificial intelligence-manipulated media is expanding rapidly, and security teams are in the blast radius. According to a study from Graphite, within a year of the launch of ChatGPT, AI-generated articles accounted for 39% of all articles published online. And with AI-powered audio and video tools widely available, it’s safe to say that Pandora’s box has now been opened.

Security in the Age of AI

Security feels the pressure from AI-generated content more than most other sectors because it sits so close to real-world consequences. The security world protects people and property on a widespread scale, and its systems generate mountains of digital media that shape criminal investigations, legal proceedings, and news media. Video surveillance footage, in particular, is increasingly valuable. It can clear a suspect, confirm an alibi, prove a break-in, or settle a liability claim. If AI can rewrite that evidence convincingly, it won’t just cause confusion, it will decide outcomes.

The Global Cyber Alliance reports that, since AI tools became available to the public, incidents of deepfake fraud have increased 1,740% in North America, 1,530% in Asia-Pacific, and 780% in Europe.

Many security companies rush toward AI-powered tech, but few are prepared to defend against it. And online troublemakers are gaining better tools to replace authentic security system content with fake images, audio and video that appear convincing. When the tools that create truth and the tools that fabricate “truth” both improve at the same time, action is clearly needed.

Dual Responsibilities

Modern security technologies are now expected to serve two distinct purposes. First, they capture and analyze data to help prevent incidents, enable rapid response, and support effective investigations. At the same time, that data must be preserved in a way that ensures its authenticity, so it can withstand scrutiny from lawyers, regulators, insurers, journalists and even skeptical juries.

These responsibilities overlap, but they don’t solve each other. Forensic technologies can help uncover tampering after footage is captured, but oftentimes, they are not fast enough. Deepfake techniques are moving quickly, and while investigators work under real-world restrictions—tight timelines, limited budgets, and public scrutiny—bad actors are far less constrained. They don’t need everything to go perfectly. Rather, they count on confusion.

Protecting the Source

The industry needs to change its mindset from detecting manipulation to preventing it. This shift begins at the point of capture. Authentication technology can embed in each frame of video a cryptographic fingerprint, tying its identity to a chain of custody that cannot be rewritten.

Blockchain fits well here as a practical ledger that preserves custody records against manipulation. By storing footage on a blockchain-based ledger, security teams can provide their video data with proof of authenticity that confirms where footage comes from, where it has been and who has seen it.

This approach also creates a clear chain of custody. Teams can track handoffs through every transfer, and each step leaves a trail that can be audited.

In public safety environments, law enforcement relies heavily on video data for investigations and legal proceedings. Authentication ensures that footage can hold up in court. For security teams protecting critical infrastructure, the ability to verify incidents captured on camera helps ensure compliance with standards and reduces liability. Generally speaking, in any application or market, trusted digital evidence reinforces credibility. Proving authenticity builds confidence among stakeholders, partners and regulators and creates consistency in how incidents are reviewed and resolved.

Demanding Proof

When authenticity is built in from the start, rather than added later, trust in digital records has a fighting chance in a world that is increasingly skeptical.

This responsibility doesn’t belong to one group alone. Builders, buyers and policymakers all have a role to play in advocating for systems that value truth as much as outcomes. Security teams need to ask questions about how digital content can prove where it came from and how it has been handled, and they should support standards that ensure transparency. In a world where almost anything can be fabricated, the real advantage lies with those who can show what truly happened.

This article originally appeared in the spring 2026 issue of SIA Technology Insights.