AI consumes trust, not creates it, says Puneet Jain, CEO of HT Digital, warns of rise in synthetic content

As AI-generated content floods the internet, concerns about trust, credibility and accountability are becoming central to conversations in digital media and advertising. Puneet Jain, CEO of HT Digital, warned at the MMA IMPACT India 2026 event that AI is not building trust online, but is instead “consuming” the credibility built 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 eroding public trust in digital information.

According to Jain, more than half of indexed content in some online categories is now synthetic or AI-generated, creating a situation where readers increasingly question whether the content is authentic or responsible.

Purkayastha noted that the problem goes beyond just fake news. He said much of today’s AI-generated material exists in a “grey zone” where opinion, misinformation and emotionally manipulative content mix, often reinforcing online echo chambers.

He added that social media has made it easier to create opinionated and synthetic content while reducing accountability.

Jain emphasized that the real danger is the erosion of basic trust.

According to him, readers have traditionally assumed that someone was responsible for the information they consumed online and added readers lose trust in the authenticity of the content, the damage goes beyond a single article or platform and affects the entire media ecosystem.

The CEO of HT Digital also highlighted the relationship between AI systems and journalism, arguing that AI tools derive their authority from trusted news produced by publishers for decades. “AI doesn’t create trust, it consumes trust,” Jain said during the discussion, explaining that confident responses generated by AI models are often based on credible journalism produced by established media organizations.

Despite the concerns, Jain clarified that AI itself is not entirely harmful. He distinguished between “assisted curation” tools that help summarize or organize information, and synthetic content designed purely to maximize clicks or advertising revenue. He said the former can improve the user experience, while the latter risks damaging credibility and increasing mistrust among readers.

Inside HT Digital, Jain said AI is currently being used to support newsroom processes rather than replace journalists. He outlined three main areas where the company is using AI: augmenting editorial workflows, improving the user experience and improving ad products.

Jain urged brands to ask tougher questions about where their digital impressions come from and whether they appear alongside verified or synthetic content. He argued that trusted environments help transfer trust between publishers and advertisers, while low-quality synthetic content ultimately damages brand perception.

Previously, Jain advocated for mandatory disclaimers on fully AI-generated content, arguing that audiences should be able to distinguish between authentic and synthetic information online.