The Erosion of Trust: How AI May Drive Consumers Back to Reality

"Snap back to reality, ope, there goes gravity" - Eminem

In an age where technology is pervasive in every aspect of our lives, from social to shopping, the rise of AI has promised convenience and efficiency. As AI becomes increasingly integrated into all of our experiences, concerns about erosion of trust are the new reality. The paradox is this erosion of trust in media and digital might just be what pushes consumers away from technology and back to real reality.

AI can create incredibly realistic simulations of reality, blurring the lines between what is real and what is not. Deepfake technology allows for the creation of convincingly realistic videos and audio recordings of people saying and doing things they never did. Sora is brilliant and scary at the same time. This is a serious threat to trust, and figuring out the authenticity of content has become increasingly difficult.

Without an ability to truly verify, there's a good chance we are being manipulated or deceived without even realizing it. If we can't trust what we see, hear, or experience digitally, then where does that leave us?

This truly is an existential question with serious implications for the marketing and media businesses and how we engage with technology, not to mention reality itself.

As our distrust accelerates, consumers are going to seek refuge in what's real. Physical experiences, face-to-face interactions, live events, and hands-on activities, are becoming more compelling - once again. And it's about time. We need to be able to see, hear, and touch something to know that it is undeniably real.

This shift away from technology and towards reality may be the renaissance we need—a return to reality and a human connection. People in my industry are running to events. Every opportunity I have to meet in person, I take. And many companies are returning to a five day a week work week.

People need to prioritize experiences that engage the senses. Maybe it's generational, but I value real over virtual. My hope is this leads to a resurgence in retail, activities like outdoor adventures, and live events. And based on what I paid for Foo Fighters tickets, and how expensive travel is these days, I don't think I'm far off. PEOPLE WANT EXPERIENCES!

What's even more exciting is the need for businesses and brands to prioritize the ability for consumer to try things out. Think about the brands that were called the "disruptors." Warby Parker, Peloton, Bonobos, Casper and All Birds. All started as eCommerce platforms and now there's rarely a mall or retail strip in the US where you don't see a physical store. Why? Because people want to see touch and feel.

While AI is one of, if not the most transformational technologies in our lifetime, (for me, the internet was first, social media second), it may push us to return to reality. There are incredible business applications of AI for all industries, (my new company mktg.ai) but at a personal level, I want reality. I'm not ready for the Matrix.

AI is going to push consumers away from technology and back to reality because there's a serious erosion of trust. Unless you see it with your own eyes, hear it with your own ears or touch it with your own hands, there will be very little way to know it is real. The outcome will be an acceleration of digital distrust and an acceleration of the return to reality.

What are your thoughts?