The challenge of distinguishing authentic media from AI-generated counterfeits is one of the defining technical and social problems of this decade. RealityFoundation's research agenda addresses this challenge from multiple angles — technical, legal, economic, and institutional.
Our work is organised around five core themes. Each theme represents an area where the absence of robust knowledge is causing real harm, and where independent research can make a meaningful contribution.
How can we establish, at the moment of capture, that a piece of media is authentic? This theme explores cryptographic signing, device-level attestation, and blockchain-based timestamping as mechanisms for creating a verifiable chain of custody for digital images and video. We examine both the technical architecture of such systems and the legal and institutional frameworks needed to make them meaningful.
Authentication systems are only as strong as the devices that underpin them. This theme investigates the hardware and software conditions under which a capture device can be trusted — what it means for a camera or sensor to be "integrity-verified", and how tampering or spoofing can be detected and prevented.
AI-generated imagery is already being used to fabricate insurance claims. This theme documents the scale and nature of this emerging threat, surveys the detection tools currently available to insurers, and analyses the gap between what exists and what is needed. We work to provide insurers, regulators, and policymakers with evidence-based guidance.
Newsrooms operate under time pressure and with limited forensic capacity. This theme examines how AI-generated images and video enter media workflows, what the consequences of publication errors are, and what editorial and technical safeguards are feasible at scale. We pay particular attention to the viral dynamics of fake content and the asymmetry between the speed of fabrication and the speed of verification.
Technical solutions are necessary but not sufficient. This theme analyses the policy landscape around synthetic media across European jurisdictions, identifies gaps in current regulation, and develops recommendations for legislators and public institutions.
RealityFoundation welcomes research proposals from academics, doctoral students, and independent researchers working on topics related to our core themes. We are particularly interested in proposals that combine technical rigour with policy relevance.
If you are working on a thesis, research project, or publication in this space, we would like to hear from you.
We offer editorial support, cross-citation within our growing body of work, and visibility with policymakers and institutions.
Learn more →We seek partnerships with European universities and research centres for MOUs, joint initiatives, and student exchange arrangements.
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