McAfee, a global leader in online protection, and Yahoo News, the number one news and information site in the U.S., announced a partnership that integrates McAfee’s deepfake image detection technology into the robust content quality system on Yahoo News. This scalable and efficient technology quickly identifies images that may have been produced or modified using AI, including deepfake images, and flags them for the Yahoo News editorial standards team for review. This team then determines whether the flagged images meet the platform’s editorial guidelines.

While not all AI-generated content is created with malicious intent, having the ability to distinguish between real and fake images empowers consumers to confidently engage online — especially in a time when it’s becoming increasingly difficult to discern authentic content from AI-manipulated material. Being proactive about ensuring news content is not AI-generated or deceptively altered is critical. By integrating McAfee’s deepfake image detection technology, Yahoo News adds an additional layer of protection to its content quality process. With a vast network of top publishers, content creators and Yahoo News journalists providing high-quality, credible journalism, this tool equips Yahoo News with deeper insights into whether AI has been used to create and modify images.

“With the rapid pace of news today, where misleading, AI-generated images and content are a real concern, particularly during high-profile news moments, the ability to place your trust in a news source is not something taken lightly. This is why we’re thrilled to work with Yahoo News to implement this tool at scale, building on McAfee’s rich history and reputation of helping consumers navigate the online world with confidence,” said Steve Grobman, McAfee Chief Technology Officer.

“McAfee’s AI-powered deepfake image detection capabilities now provide an extra layer of authentication on Yahoo News,” continued Grobman. “Our collaboration with Yahoo News demonstrates the power of AI for good, reinforcing the integrity and value of high-quality news at a crucial time, with two-thirds of Americans expressing concerns about deepfakes.**”

“Yahoo News is a destination for credible news and information for more than 190 million people each month and we take the trust of our readers very seriously,” said Matt Sanchez, President & GM, Yahoo Home Ecosystem. “We have many resources in place to be sure we are providing the best, most accurate content to users and working with McAfee to implement their innovative deepfake image detection technology gives us the opportunity to continue delivering excellence across our product with incredible scale and efficiency.”

Seamless image verification, trusted news experience

McAfee’s deepfake detection technology – powered by McAfee Smart AI™, the AI technology that powers the company’s scam detection, deepfake detection, and antivirus solutions – identifies AI-generated or manipulated images, which are then flagged to the Yahoo News editorial standards team for review. Yahoo News then determines whether flagged images meet the platform’s editorial guidelines. These guidelines apply to all content across the Yahoo News platform and ensure quality and credibility for readers. The tool is applied to images on Yahoo News in the U.S. only.

This scalable and efficient approach to content validation allows Yahoo News to continue delivering high-quality journalism while rapidly authenticating content. It also adds an additional layer to their rigorous content quality process, deepening the high standards readers need in an era of increasingly sophisticated AI-powered deepfakes.