Dubai Police study warns of deepfake threats to digital security

As AI generated videos, images and voices become increasingly difficult to distinguish from reality, a new Dubai Police study warns that the next major cybersecurity challenge may not simply be identifying fake content, but proving that genuine content can be trusted.

Prepared by the Dubai Police Future Foresight Centre, the study examines how rapidly advancing deepfake technologies could affect public safety, the credibility of information, the reliability of digital evidence and decisions made on the basis of that information.

The study also explores emerging risks and opportunities associated with these technologies and how individuals, organisations and security authorities can prepare for a future in which seeing or hearing something may no longer be enough to establish its authenticity.

The research coincides with Cybersecurity Awareness Month, observed every October, and forms part of the Ministry of Interior’s ‘Safe UAE Through Your Digital Awareness’ campaign, launched in cooperation with Dubai Police and the Dubai Electronic Security Center.

Expert Brigadier Dr Hamdan Ahmad Hamdan Al Ghassiya, Director of the Future Foresight Centre at Dubai Police, said advances in generative artificial intelligence are making it increasingly possible to replicate human faces and voices and produce realistic videos and audio recordings.

He explained that these capabilities could enable more sophisticated forms of identity theft, impersonation, fraud, digital deception and information manipulation.

Such developments present growing challenges not only for individuals and businesses, but also for organisations responsible for security, digital verification and the assessment of evidence.

Al Ghassiya stressed that the implications extend beyond the ability to recognise manipulated material, raising wider questions about whether people will continue to trust genuine digital information.

The study highlighted growing international concern about the reliability of digital information.

According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report 2026, misinformation and disinformation ranked as the second most significant global risk over the next two years.

Al Ghassiya said this finding reflects mounting concerns about the integrity of the information environment, particularly as artificial intelligence makes convincing digital manipulation more accessible and sophisticated.

One of the study’s central findings is that future security challenges may shift from simply detecting fake content to establishing the authenticity of genuine material.

As deepfake technologies become more advanced, even legitimate photographs, videos and audio recordings could face greater scrutiny or doubt.

The study therefore emphasises the need to verify the origins, authenticity and integrity of digital content to protect individuals and institutions from misinformation and manipulation.

Al Ghassiya explained that maintaining public confidence in authentic information will become just as important as identifying fabricated material.

Al Ghassiya described deepfakes as presenting a dual security challenge.

On one hand, they can be exploited to commit fraud, impersonate individuals and spread misleading information. On the other, their growing sophistication could complicate the verification of digital evidence and information used in investigations and decision making.

He stressed that security organisations must anticipate these developments and strengthen their capabilities before emerging threats become widespread.

Rather than responding only after new criminal techniques appear, the study calls for a proactive approach based on monitoring technological developments, identifying early warning signs, assessing potential risks and exploring future scenarios.

While highlighting the risks, the study also identified opportunities to use advanced technologies to strengthen digital security.

Artificial intelligence can support the detection and verification of manipulated content by analysing signs of alteration in photographs, voices and videos.

The study also examined opportunities to enhance digital forensic analysis and develop more advanced methods for verifying the authenticity of digital evidence and information.

These capabilities could help security authorities respond more effectively to increasingly sophisticated forms of digital deception.

The study emphasised that technology alone cannot address the challenges posed by deepfakes.

Improving public awareness, developing digital verification skills and encouraging responsible handling of online information are equally important.

It also highlighted the need to integrate technological solutions with institutional procedures, ensuring that organisations can adapt to emerging digital threats while maintaining public confidence.

The study calls for a comprehensive approach to protecting digital trust, combining technological innovation, community awareness and institutional preparedness.

Al Ghassiya said the study forms part of the Future Foresight Centre’s wider efforts to monitor global developments and emerging technologies, assess their potential impact on policing and identify opportunities to strengthen future readiness.

He explained that anticipating how deepfake technologies may evolve allows security organisations to develop appropriate scenarios, improve decision making and build capabilities to address future challenges.

He concluded that the ultimate objective is not only to detect manipulated content, but to preserve trust in genuine information, which is essential to protecting society in an increasingly digital world.