Mission-minded Spotlight: TrueMedia

By Liza Vilnits | Founder & CEO

Welcome to the November edition of ✨“Mission-minded: Building for Tomorrow" ✨

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With the election now behind us, it has been put into focus just how much the use of AI on social media, including the use of deepfakes, can sway public opinion. Two in five people say they have seen a deepfake in the last 6 months including depictions of sexual content, politicians, or scams, says Ofcom. TrueMedia, a nonpartisan nonprofit, aims to identify political deepfakes in social media using AI to detect what are real posts online versus AI-generated content.

😱 1) Why care? In 2023 alone, 500,000 video and voice deepfakes were shared on social media and around the world. And it only got worse in  2024 - an important Election year - with robocalls from politicians, fake photos of fans endorsing political parties, and the list goes on. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to discern what’s real and what’s fake on social media and in the news. 

🔥 2) What makes the co. credible? TrueMedia was named one of 8 AI Startups in the US Battling Deepfakes Ahead of Elections by Aim Research. They launched their free deepfake detection tool for reporters, fact-checkers, government officials, and campaign staff prior to the Election, also partnering with Microsoft’s AI for Good Lab. Founder Dr. Oren Etzioni and his team have been working hard at using their platform for the good of information and spreading awareness of misinformation this year to the public, being interviewed in The New York Times, CNN, Fox News, and POLITICO. (Read more here

💓 3) What I love about their story? Dr. Etzioni was CEO of the Allen Institute for AI, and has been a Professor for the University of Washington’s Science Department, and a Venture Partner for the Madrona Venture Group since 2000. He shifted his efforts to launching TrueMedia in January earlier this year as he was concerned about misinformation that would be spread in the year ahead due to the 2024 Election, and how it would swing the results. In February, Dr. Etzioni signed an OpenLetter calling for laws to make developers and distributors of AI audio and video liable for their technology if it created harmful deepfakes. Most recently, he was named one of AIM 100’s Most Influential Global Leaders in AI. 

The election might be over – but leveraging deepfakes to impact public opinion will certainly continue so we must remain extra aware and vigilant in order to keep ourselves informed and safe from deception. Tools like TrueMedia are fighting a long battle ahead of fake news and misinformation, but paving the way for change. 

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In case you missed it, ✨“Mission-minded: Building for tomorrow" ✨is a monthly series where I highlight an under-the-radar founder or company that’s building something that has the power to enact real change in our world. From my personal perspective and understanding, I’ll tell you why you should care about what they’re building, what makes them credible, and what I love about their story. Here are the companies we’ve spotlighted so far this year:  

📕October: TrueLeap, a digital e-learning platform that integrates a learning management system (LMS), a content management system (CMS), and a content marketplace for educational support. 

🌱September: Ecosphere Organics, an alternative materials company specializing in transforming organic by-products into high-value raw materials for a diverse range of industries.

🌡️August: FortyGuard, a pioneering urban temperature intelligence company, is trying to solve this global phenomenon.

💊July: Tip a ScRxipt, a controlled-expense debit card platform that enables government, healthcare providers, health plans, foundations, and community organizations to provide “payment assistance with guard rails.”

💻June: Pyrra, an intelligence platform that protects people, assets and brands from disinformation, physical violence and hate speech.

🤱May: Canopie, an app dedicated to providing mothers, including pregnant women, with mental health resources.

🧠April: Wayhaven, an adaptive, chat-based mental wellness app to support the unique challenges faced by college students - available 24/7. 

💧March: Varuna, a company that enables the delivery of clean water efficiently by providing water system operators with actionable data and insights to identify blindspots.

✊🏿February: Acclinate, increasing health equity by making research more inclusive by helping pharmaceutical companies and healthcare organizations access and engage communities of color.

♀️ January: Mission-Driven Tech, a company that's building innovative solutions that normalize and modernize Cervical Health, a historically underfunded and misunderstood field of medicine.