GoKawiilDetectifAI builds on-device deepfake voice detector after grandfather scam
DetectifAI, a San Francisco startup founded by Tarini Padmanabhuni, has built AI models designed to run directly on smartphones to flag AI-generated voices in real time during calls and voice messages. Padmanabhuni started the company after her grandfather was scammed out of money by a deepfake voice impersonating his brother's kidnapping. The company is pitching its software to phone manufacturers to embed detection directly into device operating systems rather than relying on cloud-based analysis.
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The FBI reported that Americans lost nearly $900 million to AI-driven scams last year, a 24% rise, with people over 60 losing twice as much as those in their 50s, underscoring the scale of the threat DetectifAI is targeting. By building compact models that run on-device rather than in the cloud, the company could offer faster, offline protection than rivals like Reality Defender and Pindrop, though its success depends on persuading phone makers to adopt the technology. Padmanabhuni's comparison to AT&T's role in the original iPhone launch suggests she sees carrier or manufacturer partnerships as key to widespread adoption.
- DetectifAI was founded after its CEO's grandfather lost money to a deepfake voice scam.
- The startup builds compact AI models meant to run on-device inside smartphone operating systems, unlike cloud-based competitors.
- AI voice scams cost Americans nearly $900 million last year, per FBI data, with older adults hit hardest.
Source: techcrunch.com — Connie Loizos, 2026-09-28
Published there as: “After a deepfake voice fooled her grandfather, this founder sprang into action”
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