Ключевое слово: «crisis of trust»

The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI), particularly generative models and deepfake technologies, has led to a fundamental transformation of the information environment. Content generated by AI is becoming indistinguishable from authentic material, which undermines traditional verification mechanisms and provokes an epistemological crisis of trust. This article examines the theoretical foundations of synthetic reality, analyzes the mechanisms by which AI destabilizes information flows, and presents empirical data on the perception of AI-generated content among young people. Based on a survey and experimental study involving 200 students and high school students, the authors reveal a low ability to identify fakes (58% accuracy) and a high level of informational nihilism. The study also analyzes recent resonant cases of deepfake use for public opinion manipulation. In conclusion, strategies for developing critical thinking and implementing a verification infrastructure in the educational process are proposed.