Deepy analyses images, videos, and audio to verify digital authenticity.
As artificial intelligence reshapes the digital landscape, deepfake technology has become a major cybersecurity and misinformation challenge, enabling highly realistic synthetic images, videos, and audio that make it increasingly difficult to distinguish real content from manipulated material.
This growing threat led Emirati cybersecurity specialist and entrepreneur Bashayer AlSalami to develop Deepy, an AI-powered system designed to detect deepfakes and verify the authenticity of digital content.
The idea for Deepy originated during Bashayer AlSalami’s Master’s studies in Cybersecurity at Zayed University.
While researching emerging cyber threats and the growing impact of artificial intelligence on information security, she became increasingly concerned about the rapid development of generative AI tools and their potential misuse.
“As AI technology continues to evolve, the challenge is no longer limited to cybersecurity professionals. Anyone can be exposed to manipulated content that appears completely real,” said Bashayer AlSalami.
What began as an academic research project gradually evolved into a practical solution. Through extensive research, testing, and experimentation with deepfake detection methods, she developed a framework that combines artificial intelligence with digital forensic analysis to identify signs of manipulation in images, videos, and audio recordings in Deepy.
Deepy operates by analyzing multiple layers of digital content. The platform reviews metadata, visual inconsistencies, audio characteristics, compression patterns, and other forensic indicators that may suggest whether content has been altered or generated using artificial intelligence.
After completing the analysis, it generates a report for users indicating the likelihood that the content has been manipulated, along with the confidence level of the assessment.
The platform also identifies what experts describe as AI-generated digital fingerprints—subtle technical traces often left behind during the content creation process. These indicators can serve as important evidence in determining whether a file has been generated or altered using artificial intelligence tools in Deepy.
According to Bashayer AlSalami, the risks posed by deepfakes extend well beyond social media. Manipulated content can be used to spread misinformation, damage reputations, influence public opinion, enable financial fraud, and create confusion during emergencies or crises.
“Digital trust has become one of the most important challenges of the AI era. The ability to verify information quickly and accurately is becoming essential for organizations and individuals alike,” said Bashayer AlSalami.
Deepy has been designed to support a wide range of sectors, including government entities, security organizations, media outlets, financial institutions, and businesses that require reliable verification of digital content. The platform can also assist journalists and content creators in verifying materials before publication, helping reduce the risk of sharing misleading or manipulated information.
Looking ahead, Bashayer AlSalami envisions Deepy evolving into a trusted Emirati technology that strengthens digital trust within the UAE and internationally.
Future plans include expanding its capabilities to tackle misinformation campaigns, improve source verification, and support advanced digital investigations, along with enabling integration into institutional systems.
“We believe the UAE should not only adopt artificial intelligence technologies but also develop them. Through Deepy, we aim to build trusted Emirati innovation that helps protect society and institutions from the growing risks of deepfakes and digital misinformation,” said Bashayer AlSalami.
As artificial intelligence continues to transform how information is created and shared, initiatives such as Deepy highlight the importance of developing local solutions that strengthen cybersecurity, resilience, and trust in an increasingly digital world.
