I have a huge book at home about the universe that I bought years ago. And when I say huge, I mean it’s probably 18” by 12”…maybe larger. It’s filled with incredible photos captured by the Hubble telescope—images that make you pause and think about the universe, life, purpose, and what you want your own purpose to be. Those are the kinds of things I love to ponder.
Technology has advanced since then, giving us even better pictures of the universe, not just sharper images of what’s near us, but also glimpses farther into space. You’d think I’d be thrilled. I thought so too. But I’m not. I still prefer my decade-old book. Why?
Is AI Distorting What is True?
Because with the rise of AI, I no longer know what’s real and what’s not. Was that stunning image actually taken by a telescope, or was it generated, or “enhanced”, by AI? Am I seeing what the universe truly looks like, or what someone wants me to believe it looks like?
My Facebook feed is full of cosmic images — probably because the algorithms notice I stop scrolling to admire them. They’re breathtaking, whether real or AI-made. But I’m not drawn to what’s merely beautiful; I’m drawn to what’s true.
AI has enormous potential to improve our lives. But the same power that can enlighten us can also deceive us. The day is quickly coming when we’ll have to question what’s real in nearly every area of life. If I’m fooled by an AI-generated photo of the universe, there’s no real harm. But there are other ways AI can mislead us, with much greater consequences.
The Virtue of Skepticism
I don’t want to live as a permanent skeptic. I want to believe in others. Belief, even if it sometimes leads to disappointment, feels like a better way to live. But as AI grows more capable of mimicking reality, learning when to be skeptical, and when not to be—may become one of the most important virtues of the future.
Investing is one area where skepticism has always been valuable, long before AI. It’s not that people are constantly trying to defraud investors, but almost everyone is trying to influence how investors think and feel. The media, for example, makes its living shaping our perceptions of the news. Rarely do we see a purely factual headline; instead, every story comes with an angle, a subtle nudge toward how the editor wants us to interpret it.
This idea is still forming, but I believe in the near future it will be essential for advisors to cultivate healthy skepticism: knowing when it serves us, when it doesn’t, and how to balance it with the trust that makes life meaningful. Perhaps this is something I’ll explore more deeply another time.
What things are you currently skeptical of?