How to protect your identity from AI deepfakes | Melissa Hutchins | TEDxUofW

What would you do if a malicious actor used AI to hijack your face, your voice, and your life? After surviving a harrowing five-year federal cyberstalking campaign, digital safety advocate Melissa Hutchins reveals the rapidly growing threat of AI-generated deepfakes and non-consensual imagery. In this urgent and empowering talk, she explains how this technology is weaponized against women and children, and shares a practical "three-layer shield"—from establishing a family safe word to utilizing new federal laws—to help you protect your loved ones and take back control of your digital identity. Melissa Hutchins is the founder and CEO of Certifi AI, the only female-founded, survivor-led company protecting people from malicious deepfakes, unauthorized content and digital impersonations. Melissa started this company after surviving a severe cyberstalking case that escalated to a federal trial, an experience that teaches us all how vulnerable we all are when technology is weaponized against us, and how desperately we need better protection. What began as personal trauma has now become her mission: to use the knowledge she gained to build technology that protects others, especially women and girls who are disproportionately targeted. Melissa founded Certifi AI to be the company that doesn't just build technology, but fights for the people who need it most. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx