The Collapse of the Filter of Effort: Deepfakes and the Imperative for Proof of Origin

The rise of deepfake technology has shattered a long-standing safeguard relied upon by legal and regulatory systems: the “filter of effort.” Traditionally, the significant time, skill, and resources required to create fraudulent evidence or filings served as a natural barrier to misconduct, minimizing the need for rigorous verification in many processes. With AI tools now enabling the effortless creation of highly convincing fabrications, this barrier has collapsed, exposing new vulnerabilities in areas such as regulatory filings, litigation evidence, and intellectual property claims.

Morgan Lewis partner Scott Milner and founder and CEO of iDiscovery Solutions Dan Regard will discuss the concept of “proof of origin,” emphasizing its critical role in today’s legal and regulatory landscape. As deepfakes threaten the integrity of information, verifying the true origin of documents, data, and media is no longer optional—it is essential. Through real-world examples, attendees will explore how deepfakes exploit the absence of origin verification, bypass traditional safeguards, and undermine trust.

The session will conclude with actionable strategies for integrating proof of origin into legal workflows, leveraging cryptographic tools, digital provenance systems, and AI-based validation technologies to ensure the authenticity of information in an age where effort is no longer a deterrent to fraud. This paradigm shift calls for a collaborative effort among law firms, clients, and regulators to fortify the integrity of legal and regulatory processes.