Hany Farid : the deepfake detector

Introduction

Hany Farid was born on February 10, 1966, in Mülheim, Germany, to Egyptian parents who moved to the United States in 1968. He grew up in Rochester, New York. Farid earned his undergraduate degree in Computer Science and Applied Mathematics from the University of Rochester in 1989. He then completed a Master’s in Computer Science from SUNY Albany, followed by a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Pennsylvania in 1997. After a two-year postdoctoral fellowship in Brain and Cognitive Sciences at MIT, he joined Dartmouth College’s faculty in 1999. In 2019, Farid became a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, with joint appointments in Electrical Engineering & Computer Sciences and the School of Information. He has received notable accolades, including an Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship and a John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship, and is a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors.

Main Contributions to Artificial Intelligence

Hany Farid is renowned for his pioneering work in digital forensics, particularly in developing techniques to detect digitally manipulated images and videos, such as deepfakes. Imagine trying to spot a counterfeit painting among authentic masterpieces; Farid’s methods serve as the expert eye that distinguishes the real from the fake in the digital realm. His research has been instrumental in identifying inconsistencies in digital media, ensuring the authenticity of visual content.

An Interesting Fact

Despite his significant contributions to computer science and digital forensics, Hany Farid admits that he was a “mediocre student” during his early education years. This serves as an inspiring reminder that initial academic struggles don’t preclude future success.

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