As AI generated content floods the internet, concerns around trust, credibility and accountability are becoming central to conversations in digital media and advertising.
Speaking at the MMA IMPACT India 2026 event, Puneet Jain, CEO of HT Digital, warned that AI is not building trust online but instead "consuming" the credibility created over decades by publishers and journalists.
During a panel discussion titled "The Future of Discovery: Why Publishers Matter More in the Age of AI", Jain and Deepit Purkayastha argued that the rise of synthetic content is slowly weakening the public's confidence in digital information.
According to Jain, more than half of the indexed content in some online categories is now synthetic or AI-generated, creating a situation where readers increasingly question whether content is authentic or accountable.
Purkayastha noted that the issue goes beyond outright fake news. He said much of today's AI-generated material exists in a "grey area" where opinion, misinformation and emotionally manipulative content blend together, often reinforcing echo chambers online.
He added that social media has made opinionated and synthetic content easier to produce while reducing accountability.
Jain stressed that the real danger is the erosion of baseline trust.
According to him, readers traditionally assumed that someone was responsible for the information they consumed online and added readers lose confidence in content authenticity, the damage extends beyond a single article or platform and affects the entire media ecosystem.
The HT Digital CEO also highlighted the relationship between AI systems and journalism, arguing that AI tools derive their authority from trusted reporting created by publishers over decades. "AI doesn't create trust, it consumes trust," Jain said during the discussion, explaining that the confident responses generated by AI models are often built on credible journalism produced by established media organisations.
Despite the concerns, Jain clarified that AI itself is not entirely harmful. He distinguished between "assisted curation" tools that help summarise or organise information and synthetic content designed purely to maximise clicks or advertising revenue. He said the former can improve user experience, while the latter risks damaging credibility and increasing distrust among readers.
Inside HT Digital, Jain said AI is currently being used to support newsroom processes rather than replace journalists. He outlined three major areas where the company is applying AI: augmenting editorial workflows, improving user experience and improving advertising products.
Jain urged brands to ask tougher questions about where their digital impressions originate and whether they are appearing alongside verified or synthetic content. He argued that credible environments help transfer trust between publishers and advertisers, while low-quality synthetic content ultimately damages brand perception.
Earlier, Jain had advocated for mandatory disclaimers on fully AI-generated content, arguing that audiences should be able to distinguish between authentic and synthetic information online.