Will AI Really Worsen the Disinformation Problem? An Analyst’s Perspective
In recent discussions, many experts and observers have expressed concern that Artificial Intelligence might significantly accelerate the spread of false information online. The idea is that AI’s ability to generate vast quantities of content could lead to an overwhelming influx of “junk,” making it harder for users to discern truth from fiction.
However, I believe this concern warrants a closer examination. To understand whether AI truly amplifies disinformation, we need to consider how humans engage with content and the limits of our consumption.
Take, for example, the common activity of scrolling through social media platforms like TikTok. Regardless of whether the content is human-made or AI-generated, most users tend to view a relatively consistent number of videos—roughly 100 to 150 clips per session. Introducing AI-generated content doesn’t necessarily increase this quantity; it just becomes part of the existing stream.
It’s crucial to note that humans have always been bombarded with enormous amounts of information—much of it disinformation or sensationalism produced by humans long before the advent of AI. Adding AI-generated content to this existing flood doesn’t fundamentally change the amount of disinformation we are exposed to; it simply integrates into the ongoing stream.
Furthermore, our consumption patterns are surprisingly stable. We tend to seek out content that entertains or interests us, which often results in similar viewing distributions over time: perhaps a third of our viewing is cat videos, some clips of people falling, political commentary, or miscellaneous content curated by the algorithm. This stable pattern suggests that, despite the rise of AI-generated content, our exposure to disinformation hasn’t necessarily increased significantly because our preferences and attention spans remain consistent.
There’s also a subtlety in the types of disinformation we see. AI can facilitate the creation of doctored videos or images—deepfakes featuring politicians or celebrities saying things they never did. While this is a legitimate concern, the impact might be less profound than we assume. Given the immense volume of existing disinformation, a few manipulated clips are unlikely to shift the overall landscape dramatically, especially as media literacy improves and detection methods evolve.
In essence, while AI introduces new tools for generating deceptive content, human behavior and media consumption habits serve as natural filters. Our preferences, attention, and skepticism resist a complete drowning in disinformation, regardless of whether it’s human- or AI-created.
What are your thoughts? Do you believe AI will significantly worsen disinformation, or is it just another layer on an already
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