Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson has raised an alarming possibility: AI could eventually “kill the internet.” Of course, he doesn't mean the internet will disappear entirely, but rather that the trust we place in it could completely collapse. As artificial intelligence becomes more advanced, it's increasingly able to generate content that looks and sounds entirely real—content that could easily pass for fact. This creates a scenario where even fake news becomes indistinguishable from truth. Tyson warns that as AI-generated information becomes more convincing, people who previously believed in misinformation might begin to lose faith in everything they encounter online. If this happens, we might see a significant shift in how people use the internet. Trust in the digital realm could be so eroded that people return to more traditional forms of communication—relying on print media or face-to-face interactions instead. While this remains speculative, it raises a critical question: What happens if we lose trust in the very spaces that have become integral to how we work, learn, and communicate?
The implications of such a breakdown in trust could be vast. One of the most pressing concerns is how it would affect our ability to share and access knowledge. The internet has become an unparalleled platform for knowledge exchange, from academic research to personal experiences and everything in between. Without the internet, the flow of information that drives much of today’s innovation and global progress would face serious disruption. If even expert knowledge is called into question, could we continue to advance in fields like medicine, technology, and science?
Consider the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The ability to share real-time research, data, and strategies was crucial to the world’s collective efforts to combat the virus. Without the internet’s ability to facilitate this exchange, progress might have been significantly slowed. However, if AI-generated misinformation is so convincingly realistic that it contaminates even expert-level discourse, the consequences for global progress could be profound. Science thrives on transparency, verification, and consensus-building—all of which could be undermined if the public loses faith in the sources of knowledge. As AI becomes better at mimicking credible voices and producing fabricated research, even well-meaning individuals might struggle to determine what is true. This loss of reliable information would slow not only technological advancement but also the basic educational process, which depends on trust in accessible, accurate sources.
As we think about the potential consequences of this kind of breakdown in trust, another major concern emerges: could AI-powered misinformation deepen the already significant political and social polarization? Today, social media platforms already amplify divisive content, prioritizing sensational or emotionally charged posts in order to boost engagement (Friggeri, Gleave, & Adamic, 2014). This results in an increasingly fragmented society, where people tend to surround themselves with like-minded voices. But what happens if AI-generated fake news becomes so indistinguishable from real news that even the most skeptical users begin to question everything online? If that were to happen, could we see a society where people retreat into even more insular, ideological echo chambers—unable or unwilling to engage with opposing viewpoints?
This scenario could result in a dangerous downward spiral, where social discourse becomes so fractured that any possibility of meaningful debate or consensus becomes increasingly unlikely. Research has shown that exposure to differing opinions on social media can, ironically, increase political polarization rather than decrease it (Bail et al., 2018). If AI-generated content becomes so convincing that it erodes trust in all digital communication, people might no longer feel comfortable discussing anything online, let alone challenging ideas they don’t agree with. Instead of a space for constructive exchange, the internet could become a battleground where misinformation is the rule and accurate, thoughtful conversation the exception. While this is speculative, the potential for deeper societal rifts is undeniable. How people will adapt to this shift remains uncertain, but it's clear that if online trust collapses, it could hinder efforts to heal societal divisions.
Alongside the fragmentation of public discourse, another concern is the impact that a loss of trust in the internet could have on social and economic inequality. The internet has, to some extent, served as a great equalizer, offering access to education, job opportunities, and vital resources that were previously difficult to obtain. If the internet were to lose its credibility as a source of information, it could widen the gap between those who have access to reliable information and those who do not. Many people in rural or lower-income areas rely on the internet as their primary means of gaining education or building careers. If misinformation dominates the digital landscape, those who depend on the internet for economic or educational advancement could find themselves at a distinct disadvantage. Whether society would respond by creating new tools for verifying information or developing alternative digital spaces that can be trusted remains an open question. But the risk of deepening inequalities is real. If the internet becomes a place where people cannot rely on information, it could leave those with fewer resources even further behind, as the digital divide between the information-rich and the information-poor becomes more pronounced.
Perhaps the most worrying consequence of this loss of trust would be its effect on global cooperation. The internet has allowed the world to come together in ways that were previously unimaginable, facilitating everything from climate change discussions to the sharing of medical research. Yet, if AI-generated misinformation undermines trust in online information, this digital cooperation could collapse. The ability to coordinate international efforts on issues like climate change, public health, and political instability depends on the ability to share and verify information quickly and accurately. During the COVID-19 crisis, digital platforms played a vital role in sharing research, public health strategies, and crucial information between nations (Ghebreyesus, 2020). But if AI-generated misinformation spreads unchecked, could nations still cooperate in addressing shared challenges? Could the global response to future pandemics, climate crises, or geopolitical issues remain effective? This loss of trust in digital spaces would risk fragmenting global efforts, leaving countries working in silos, potentially at cross purposes.
In conclusion, the potential collapse of trust in the internet is a scenario that, while speculative, could have profound consequences. If AI-generated misinformation becomes so pervasive that people can no longer trust anything they encounter online, the results could ripple across every aspect of society. Knowledge sharing would be hindered, slowing down scientific progress and educational advancement. Political polarization could deepen, as people retreat into ideological echo chambers. Social and economic inequalities could worsen, as the digital divide grows larger. And global cooperation, so vital for addressing large-scale challenges, could falter as misinformation erodes the foundation of shared knowledge. While these outcomes are not guaranteed, the risks are clear. How society will respond to these potential threats remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: if trust in the internet breaks down, we could be looking at a very different world than the one we know today.
References:
Bail, C. A., Argyle, L. P., Brown, T. W., & Binns, R. (2018). "Exposure to opposing views on social media can increase political polarization." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 115(37), 9216–9221. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1805370115
Friggeri, A., Gleave, E., & Adamic, L. A. (2014). "Rumor Cascades." Proceedings of the Eighth International Conference on Weblogs and Social Media (ICWSM 2014), 101-110. Retrieved from https://www.aaai.org/ocs/index.php/ICWSM/ICWSM14/paper/view/8080
Ghebreyesus, T. A. (2020). "COVID-19: A Global Health Crisis and an Opportunity for Global Cooperation." The Lancet, 396(10252), 857-858. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)31822-5
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