While AI is the poster child for the new age of technology, its ugly underbelly is swelling at an alarming rate.
Alongside other new risks, like chatbot attacks and model poisoning, AI-generated deepfakes pose a big threat to enterprise security and customer data.
Indeed, a worrying consequence of rising AI capabilities is that it enables attackers to make deepfakes of customer voices and documents.
To tackle the latter, Google Wallet recently released an easier way to prove your age and identity.
By integrating its Zero Knowledge Proof (ZKP) technology with Google Wallet, the tech giant ensures that “there is no way to link the age back to your identity.”
The innovation allows Google to provide age verification across mobile devices, apps, and websites that use its Digital Credential API, so customers don’t have to share their precious data, which could be used against them.
On the announcement, Alan Stapelberg, Group Product Manager at Google Wallet, explained in a company blog post: “We will use ZKP where appropriate in other Google products and partner with apps like Bumble, which will use digital IDs from Google Wallet to verify user identity and ZKP to verify age.
To help foster a safer, more secure environment for everyone, we will also open-source our ZKP technology to other wallets and online services.
An Innovation That Comes at a Critical Time
This introduction comes at a vital time, not only because of the aforementioned issue of deepfakes, but also because most verification systems can’t properly detect them.
Almost every sector, including retail, has seen data breaches recently, with Samsung and M&S hitting the headlines this year.
Many data breaches expose complete identities, which are occurring daily. Google hopes that news interventions will reduce data breaches from having these kinds of implications.
Here’s a snapshot of what Google is looking to deliver:
- Verify age without revealing birthdate
- Prove identity without showing documents
- Control exactly what data you share
The UK Government Becomes an Early Adopter
This innovation has already been widely received, most notably with the UK Government being the first to adopt the ZKP system.
Multiple platforms are to follow, too, with Bumble, Uber, Amazon, and CVS Health all looking to secure their customers’ data through the system.
The knock-on effects of this innovation include dating apps verifying age mathematically, banks conducting KYC without storing documents, Healthcare systems accessing records privately, and travel verification becoming truly digital.
Through this Google Wallet innovation, enterprises hope to achieve the holy trinity of privacy, control, and resilience.
How Much of a Concern Are Deepfakes?
Deepfake concerns aren’t just limited to ID fraud.
Voice notes are also being considered the latest weapon in the arsenal of deepfakes, as previously reported by CX Today.
Research indicates that deepfake voice notes are emerging as a growing cybersecurity risk.
As voice messaging gains traction among friends, families, and professionals, the rise of AI-generated audio for deception and fraud is becoming a serious concern.
A 2024 survey by Preply found that two-thirds of American adults have used voice notes, with 41 percent reporting a noticeable increase in their use over recent years.
This surge in voice note popularity aligns with a sharp rise in AI-driven deepfakes worldwide, with one study revealing that counterfeit audio and video content grew by 245 percent year-over-year in 2024.
