We live in an era where artificial intelligence is not just influencing how we think — it’s shaping what we think is real. Through personalized algorithms, curated feeds, deepfake videos, and AI-generated news, our perception of truth is being subtly but profoundly manipulated. Social media platforms, powered by sophisticated machine learning models, create filter bubbles that reinforce our existing beliefs, distorting our sense of objectivity. The more data they gather, the better they become at feeding us content that keeps us engaged — and often outraged. This isn't just about convenience or customization; it's about influence, control, and the erosion of a shared reality.

Generative AI adds another layer to this distortion. Tools that can produce convincing audio, video, text, and images on demand are making it increasingly difficult to distinguish fact from fabrication. You can read an article, hear a quote, or watch a video — and it might all be fake, created in seconds by an AI model. As the barrier between reality and fiction blurs, society risks falling into a kind of epistemological chaos where truth becomes relative and trust becomes obsolete. This impacts everything from journalism and politics to education and interpersonal relationships. When reality can be tailored to each individual’s preferences and biases, how can we agree on anything at all?

And yet, for all its risks, this technological shift also holds a mirror to our values. If we are losing grip on reality, it's not just because AI is powerful — it's because we’ve allowed convenience, emotion, and tribalism to guide our consumption of information. The real danger isn't that AI is getting smarter — it’s that we may be getting less curious, less critical, and less united. To preserve reality, we must re-learn how to question it — and to value the messy, imperfect truth over the comfortable illusion.