MIT Manipal Alum Launches DetectifAI for Real-Time Deepfake Voice Detection

25 Aug 2026, 7:05 am · 18d ago · 1 min read · YourStory

Bengaluru and San Francisco-based cybersecurity startup DetectifAI, founded in 2025 by 21-year-old MIT Manipal graduate Tarini Padmanabhuni, is building edge AI technology to detect synthetic voices and deepfake audio in real time. Padmanabhuni, who holds five pending patents in deepfake detection, developed the platform after a scam targeted her family. DetectifAI runs its fraud detection models on-device and at network edges, flagging manipulated speech and synthetic audio during live voice calls without needing cloud round trips. The solution aims to protect financial institutions, customer support systems, and individuals against AI-driven phishing.