Combating Deepfakes with AI Innovation: Reality Defender & BAH Ventures | The Pair Program Ep61

In this episode of The Pair Program, we’re joined by Ben Colman (CEO and Co-Founder of Reality Defender) and Wes Blackwell (Managing Director at Booz Allen Hamilton) for a fascinating discussion on AI and national security. They dive into the dangers of deepfakes, the role of AI detection tools, and how public and private sectors can stay ahead of this evolving threat. Whether you’re curious about how deepfakes are disrupting banks or the ethics behind AI moderation, this one’s for you.

Here’s what we get into:

• Why deepfakes are the new cybersecurity threat
• Real-world fraud examples using AI-generated media
• The technical challenges of detecting synthetic content
• The ethics of AI detection and censorship
• How startups and government can work together to combat AI misuse

About Ben Colman: Ben is the CEO and Co-Founder of Reality Defender, a deepfake detection platform helping enterprises and governments identify AI-generated threats. With a background in cybersecurity and data science, he’s led innovation at Goldman Sachs and Google, and holds an MBA from NYU Stern.

About Wes Blackwell: Wes is Managing Director at Booz Allen Hamilton, where he invests in cutting-edge technologies that advance national security. His focus spans AI, quantum, cyber, and robotics – backing founders building high-impact, over-the-horizon solutions.

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