It began, as so many online firestorms do, with a short video clip and a plate of food. The clip showed a long buffet table at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, neatly arranged with what looked like a simple, wholesome vegetarian breakfast: bowls of poha, some breads, chutneys, and a few modest preparations. It was the kind of spread you might see at a government office event or a family function—nothing extravagant, nothing fussy. But because the 18th BRICS Summit was underway, and because world leaders were gathered in the Indian capital, the video quickly took on a life of…

Think of the last time you scrolled past a product review, skimmed a news story, or watched a video online—and paused, wondering if a human or an algorithm was behind it. That moment of uncertainty is becoming the default experience of digital life. Generative artificial intelligence has gotten so good at mimicking human language and imagery that the old tells, the awkward phrasing or obvious flaw, have largely disappeared. A new study from Temple University, led by Tanaka Manhede and Jason Chein and published in the journal AI & Society, wades directly into this disorienting landscape. The researchers wanted to…