Proof, a digital identity and transaction security platform, has unveiled Certify, a new solution designed to address the escalating threat of falsified content, deepfakes, and digital impersonation exacerbated by generative artificial intelligence. The platform aims to establish a new standard for digital identity authentication by enabling cryptographically authorized signing of any digital content.
The proliferation of AI-generated fake documents, images, videos, and data at an unprecedented scale has made it increasingly difficult to distinguish between authentic and forged digital assets. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman previously cautioned about an “impending crisis,” stating that “AI has fully defeated many ways financial institutions currently confirm identity” and that “society is going to have to change the way it verifies identity.” This technological shift has enabled the forgery of signatures, falsification of records, and impersonation of voices and likenesses.
Certify introduces a mechanism for instantly authorized digital signing of various content types using a verified legal identity. Proof describes this as a technological advancement for digital identity, akin to the EMV chip’s impact on payment security by eliminating counterfeit card fraud through cryptographically authenticated transactions. By cryptographically signing all media and data, Certify generates irrefutable digital evidence that generative AI cannot counterfeit.
Proof currently works with over 16 of the Fortune 100 companies and processes more than $200 billion annually. The company has secured over $600 billion in digital transactions across sectors such as mortgage closings, retirement fund withdrawals, insurance claims, and estate planning. Certify expands on this by embedding verified identities into online actions, creating verifiable records for various applications. These include tax returns with confirmed filer identity, images and videos with cryptographic proof of creation, verifiable organizational records and documents, trusted wire instructions for treasury departments, and legal agreements resistant to forgery or dispute.
Pat Kinsel, CEO of Proof, commented on the development, stating, “In an era where AI can generate perfect deepfakes and falsify any document, cryptographic proof of identity and authenticity of records is existential. Everything we believe and accept as real needs to rely on verifiable records.”
According to Travis Jarae, Founder and CEO of Liminal, Proof’s solution is uniquely positioned for high demand, particularly within financial services. “Our data shows that 83% of buyers in financial services indicated they need a platform solution that covers identity and fraud use cases together,” Jarae noted.
The reach of Certify extends beyond basic e-signatures, aiming to authenticate any digital asset recognized by existing legal frameworks, including documents, images, video, audio, and structured data. This capability ensures provenance and accountability for media in an environment where digital forgeries are common, allowing organizations to verify the authenticity of received evidence without requiring repeated identity presentations from users. Aaron Davis, CEO of Florida Agency Network, highlighted the impact for his sector, saying, “Certify will help us meet the moment on the fraud threat that has overtaken our industry. We’ll now be able eliminate the risk of AI-powered identity fraud for the more than $2.5 billion in real estate transactions that we manage annually.”
Proof also announced the availability of its Identity Authorization Network. This network enables consumers to save their verified biometric identity once, allowing them to instantly “true-sign” any media and data across the Proof platform. This digital identity aims to eliminate the need for repeated onboarding processes and establish a continuous chain of trust with each authorization, creating an inextricable link between an identity and the record it produces.
Kinsel concluded, “AI has created an authenticity crisis that demands a new approach to digital trust. Most identity solutions are focused on presentation of your ID, but in order to truly become the identity layer for the internet, we need to ensure that all data that is transmitted and trusted can be watermarked with your identity.”
Proof, based in Boston, describes itself as a trusted platform for securing the digital economy, empowering companies to verify identities in digital interactions. The company is known for its remote online notarization pioneering and its comprehensive identity authorization network, serving 8,000 organizations across financial services, government, real estate, and healthcare. Additional information on Certify and the Identity Authorization Network is available at Proof.com/certify.
