The article discusses Sam Altman's views on the future of photos and AI-generated content, highlighting the distinction between real and fabricated images. While agreeing that our perception of reality is shifting due to AI and digital manipulation, the author argues that people will still care about whether content is real, especially when it affects enjoyment and trust. The piece emphasizes that although technology blurs the lines of authenticity, societal and individual perceptions of reality will continue to matter.
The brain has a delicate balancing act to accurately distinguish between mental imagery and reality. Researchers have found that the strength of the signal may be regulated in the frontal cortex, which analyzes emotions and memories. However, it remains unclear what determines the vividness of a mental image or the difference between the strength of the imagery signal and the reality threshold. This mechanism could have implications for conditions such as schizophrenia, where the distinction between imagination and perception breaks down. Further research is needed to understand the emergence of hallucinations and the role of sensory hyperactivity in these conditions.
