AI-era internet: Can blockchain prove what’s real online?
As AI-generated media grows more sophisticated and widespread, industry participants and policymakers are testing methods to reestablish online trust, including blockchain-based “proof of origin,” heading into 2026.
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Studies indicate AI-made material now comprises a significant share of the internet. Research firm Graphite reported that AI-generated content surpassed human-created output in late 2024, following the launch of ChatGPT in 2022. Another analysis found that more than 74.2% of pages in its sample contained AI-generated content as of April 2025. The trend raises a central question as 2026 approaches: to what extent can users still verify what is authentic online?
AI content fatigue emerges as interest in human-created work rises
Following an initial wave of enthusiasm, consumers are reporting “AI content fatigue,” reflecting weariness with the pace and prevalence of synthetic media. In a spring 2025 survey by the Pew Research Center, a median of 34% of adults globally said they were more concerned than excited about increased AI use, while 42% said they felt both concern and excitement in equal measure.
Source: Pew Research
“AI content fatigue has been cited in multiple studies as the novelty of AI-generated content is slowly wearing off, and in its current form, often feels predictable and abundant,” said Adrian Ott, chief AI officer at EY Switzerland. He compared the phenomenon to processed food, noting that when it first arrived it quickly saturated the market, before consumers gradually returned to known, higher-quality sources. “It might go in a similar direction with content. You can make the case that humans like to know who is behind the thoughts that they read, and a painting is not only judged by its quality but by the story behind the artist.”
Ott added that labels such as “human-crafted” could serve as trust markers for online material, similar to “organic” in food.
Managing AI content: certifying authenticity among current approaches
While some argue AI text or images are easy to recognize, reliably identifying synthetic content is more complex. A Pew Research study in September reported that at least 76% of Americans say it is important to be able to spot AI content, yet only 47% are confident they can do so accurately.
“While some people fall for fake photos, videos or news, others might refuse to believe anything at all or conveniently dismiss real footage as ‘AI-generated’ when it doesn’t fit their narrative,” Ott said, highlighting challenges in moderating AI content online.
Source: Pew Research
Ott said regulators appear to be moving toward labeling AI content, but “there will always be ways around that.” He suggested an alternative: certify genuine content at the moment of capture so authenticity can be traced to a specific event, rather than trying to detect fakes after the fact.
Blockchain’s role in establishing “proof of origin”
“With synthetic media becoming harder to distinguish from real footage, relying on authentication after the fact is no longer effective,” said Jason Crawforth, founder and CEO of Swear, a startup developing video authentication software. “Protection will come from systems that embed trust into content from the start.”
Swear’s platform aims to ensure trust from creation using blockchain technology. The company’s video-authentication software was named Time magazine’s Best Invention of 2025 in the Crypto and Blockchain category.
Source: Time magazine
The software employs a blockchain-based fingerprinting method, linking each asset to a ledger to provide proof of origin — a verifiable “digital DNA” that flags any alteration. “Any modification, no matter how discreet, becomes identifiable by comparing the content to its blockchain-verified original in the Swear platform,” Crawforth said. “Without built-in authenticity, all media, past and present, faces the risk of doubt […] Swear doesn’t ask, ‘Is this fake?’, it proves ‘This is real.’ That shift is what makes our solution both proactive and future-proof in the fight toward protecting the truth.”
To date, Swear’s technology has been used by digital creators and enterprise partners, mainly for visual and audio media captured by devices such as bodycams and drones. “While social media integration is a long-term vision, our current focus is on the security and surveillance industry, where video integrity is mission-critical,” Crawforth said.
2026 outlook: platforms’ role and potential inflection points
As 2026 begins, users express growing concern about the volume of AI-generated content and their ability to distinguish it from human-made material. Experts highlight the need to clearly label authentic content, but the timing of platform adoption remains uncertain. Dictionary publisher Merriam-Webster named slop as 2025 word of the year amid AI content concerns.
Source: Merriam-Webster
“Ultimately, the responsibility of platform providers to give users tools to filter out AI content and surface high-quality material. If they don’t, people will leave,” Ott said. “Right now, there’s not much individuals can do on their own to remove AI-generated content from their feeds — that control largely rests with the platforms.”
As demand grows for tools that verify human-made media, observers note the core risk often lies in the intent behind content rather than the technology itself. Deepfakes and misinformation are not new, but AI has increased their speed and scale.
With only a handful of startups focused on authentication in 2025, the issue has not yet reached a level prompting urgent, coordinated action by platforms, governments, or users.
According to Crawforth, society has yet to hit an inflection point where manipulated media causes visible, undeniable harm across contexts such as legal proceedings, investigations, corporate governance, journalism, or public safety. “Waiting for that moment would be a mistake; the groundwork for authenticity should be laid now.”
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