SDAIA and CST launch "It's AI" deepfake awareness campaign

October 17, 2026 · Cortex Solutions

SDAIA and CST launched "It's AI" for the Year of AI 2026 to explain deepfake risks and how to spot fake video, audio and text, with steps for businesses.

The Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA) and the Communications, Space and Technology Commission (CST) have launched a joint awareness campaign called "It's AI" (in Arabic «تراه AI»). It aims to explain the risks of AI-based deepfake technology and raise public awareness of how to deal with fake digital content. According to Okaz newspaper on October 15, 2026, the campaign coincides with the Year of Artificial Intelligence 2026. Arab News covered it from Riyadh on October 17, 2026, and the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) also reported it.

What does the campaign say?

According to Okaz, the campaign explains the forms deepfakes take and warns of their risks, including misinformation, fraud, identity theft and damage to people's reputations. It also offers guidance on protecting your visual and vocal identity and personal data. It teaches the public to spot signs of manipulated content and to go back to original, trusted sources to check its accuracy and context.

The campaign's central message is that a circulating clip is not conclusive proof just because a person appears in it or their voice can be heard, and people should not rush to reshare it. Arab News notes that the campaign urges people not to share controversial content before verifying it. It is part of both bodies' efforts to promote responsible AI use and critical thinking.

Three forms of deepfakes and how to spot them

The campaign's official page on the CST website runs under the line "Not every familiar face is who it seems." It describes three main types of deepfake:

• Visual deepfakes: a face placed on another body, or lips moved to speak words that were never said. The page advises checking eye movement and blinking, whether facial expressions look natural, whether the lighting and background look real, and whether the lips match the voice.
• Audio deepfakes: a cloned voice, or a recording of things a person never said. The page advises listening for odd shifts in tone, unnatural pauses or robotic sounds, and whether the speech matches how the person normally talks.
• Text deepfakes: a post or chat that appears to come from a known person, or content attributed to an organization without a source. The page advises comparing the style with the person's usual style, checking that dates make sense, and looking for an official source or verified account.

The page also separates "edited" content, such as adjusted lighting or cropping that does not change the facts, from "fake" content, which shows a scene or speech that never happened in order to mislead or cause harm.

Risks and opportunities

The campaign groups deepfake risks into four kinds:

• Economic: financial losses and fraud.
• Political: misleading public opinion and damaging reputations.
• Security: breaching verification systems and identity theft.
• Social and educational: loss of trust, cheating and bullying.

It also lists positive uses of the technology, including films and games, simulating historical events, professional training, and protecting the identities of witnesses and victims.

To counter these risks, the page proposes:

• raising public awareness
• labeling AI-generated content
• developing advanced detection tools
• setting strict regulations and laws
• international cooperation, including initiatives such as the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA) and the Content Authenticity Initiative (CAI)

The page draws on SDAIA's study "Deepfakes: Risks and Potential Opportunities," published in July 2025. It closes with a clear call: don't believe it, share it or post it before you verify it, because your awareness is the first line of defense.

What it means for Saudi businesses

The campaign is aimed at the public, but its messages apply directly to business, especially since the campaign itself puts financial fraud, breaches of verification systems and identity theft among the main risks. Practical steps companies can start with:

• Adopt an internal rule: any request for a money transfer or a change of bank details that arrives by voice note, video or chat is carried out only after it is confirmed through a second channel agreed in advance.
• Train staff, especially in finance, customer service and HR, on the visual, audio and text warning signs the campaign describes.
• Protect the digital identity of the company and its leaders, and keep official announcements to a fixed set of channels so customers can check them easily.
• Prepare a rapid-response plan for when fake content attributed to the company or one of its executives starts spreading.
• When using AI tools in marketing or customer service, be transparent and label generated content, in line with what the campaign calls for.

In the Year of AI, digital maturity is not only about adopting new tools. It also means building a culture of verification inside the organization. At Cortex Solutions, we help companies design secure digital systems and procedures that get the benefits of AI while keeping its risks under control.

Sources: Okaz (October 15, 2026), Arab News (October 17, 2026), the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), and the campaign page on the CST website.