AI and deepfakes mean the world we see through our screens is already fiction. The next step is removing screens altogether, says Paul Armstrong

Reality used to be something you could trust. What you saw, heard and experienced was, for the most part, real. But as AI-driven filters, deepfake augmented reality (AR), and immersive environments creep further into everyday life, the line between real and synthetic is dissolving. The question is no longer whether AI will distort perception, because it already has, instead the real concern is whether we’ll ever be able to switch it off, or know that we need to.

There was a time when photo filters were just playful tweaks. Now, AI-enhanced reality is so pervasive that entire digital personas are crafted out of thin air. Instagram faces, AI-generated influencers and deepfake avatars are standard fare. News images are algorithmically “enhanced”, videos are subtly altered and AI-powered beauty filters don’t just soften wrinkles, they shift bone structures, erase ethnic markers and rewire self-image at a fundamental level. The world we see through our screens is already fiction. The next step is removing screens altogether.

Augmented reality was supposed to add layers to our experience of the world. What it’s doing instead is replacing reality itself. With deepfake AR, AI doesn’t just modify digital content, it overlays a version of reality that is entirely customisable. Real-time face-swapping, AI-powered speech modulation and personalised content feeds mean that two people can stand in the same physical location and experience completely different digital........

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