San Francisco-based startup DetectifAI is developing compact AI models intended to detect deepfake voices directly on smartphones. The company's founder, Tarini Padmanabhuni, established DetectifAI after her grandfather was scammed by an AI-generated voice impersonating his brother, leading him to pay a ransom.
DetectifAI's approach involves designing AI models small enough to run within a smartphone's operating system, aiming to provide instant verdicts on whether a voice is AI-generated during calls or in audio messages. This differs from current detection products, which often operate in the cloud on remote servers.
The company plans to license its software development kit (SDK) to phone manufacturers, aiming for deepfake detection to become a built-in feature. DetectifAI also anticipates a secondary revenue stream from licensing its technology to businesses and fraud-prevention firms.
According to the FBI, AI-driven scams resulted in nearly $900 million in losses for Americans last year, marking a 24% increase from 2024. Individuals aged 60 and older reportedly lost twice as much as those aged 50 to 59.
DetectifAI currently generates early revenue and processes over 100,000 calls monthly for financial institutions in India, where it provides deepfake detection and speaker verification for AI voice agents handling debt collections and loan document follow-ups. The startup is also competing in TechCrunch's Startup Battlefield competition, scheduled for October 13-15 in San Francisco.