RealityFoundation is an independent nonprofit research foundation established in Estonia and operating across Europe. Our mission is to advance the scientific understanding of AI-generated counterfeits — synthetic images, video, and audio produced with the intent to deceive — and to develop the knowledge base needed to detect, prevent, and mitigate their impact on society.
We believe that the integrity of visual reality is a public good. As generative AI capabilities expand rapidly, the gap between what is real and what is fabricated is becoming impossible to close without dedicated, rigorous, independent research. RealityFoundation exists to close that gap.
We operate as a platform for academic research, policy analysis, and public engagement. Our work spans three areas:
We commission, support, and publish original research on fake detection algorithms, synthetic media forensics, and the real-world consequences of AI counterfeiting.
We communicate our findings to policymakers, journalists, insurers, and the broader public through accessible publications, briefings, and events.
We bring together researchers, students, and practitioners working on the frontiers of media authenticity and AI governance.
Co-founder, technology lead
Emilio holds a background in Engineering Physics and is completing a Double Degree Master in HPC Engineering and ICT Innovation at Politecnico di Milano and KTH Royal Institute of Technology. He has worked across full-stack engineering, AI systems, and large-scale infrastructure at PwC, Accenture, and Qualcomm. He leads RealityFoundation's technical research agenda and systems architecture.
Co-founder, research lead
Bianca holds an MSc in Economics from Nova SBE and a BSc in Business Administration from ESCP. She has worked in strategy consulting and is currently Founder's Associate at greenmetrics.ai, where she focuses on AI applications for climate resilience. She leads RealityFoundation's research programme and academic partnerships.
Co-founder, operations lead
Gaia holds a CEMS Master in International Management from Nova SBE and FGV-EAESP, and a Bachelor in International Politics and Government from Bocconi University. She currently works at EY. She leads RealityFoundation's operations, governance, and institutional relationships.
RealityFoundation is governed by an independent Scientific Committee responsible for ensuring the rigour, integrity, and independence of our research output. The committee is currently being formed. We are in conversation with researchers and academics specialising in computer vision, AI ethics, digital forensics, and media law.
Announcements forthcoming.
We are building a multi-year research agenda structured around our core themes. Our roadmap — currently in development — will be published in full on this site. We welcome enquiries from researchers and institutions interested in contributing to or shaping our programme.
See our research themes →