What is Real Anymore? Media Literacy in the Age of Generative AI

Abstract The new era of media is being reshaped by a fast-growing form of artificial intelligence known as generative AI. The era of media today is changing due to the emerging technology of generative artificial intelligence (AI) which is capable of creating extremely realistic text, images, audio and video. These tools have the potential to change how we communicate and create, but they also pose challenges to audiences in identifying real from fake, manipulated from real, and misinformation generated by AI. Media literacy in this context calls for a rethinking of conventional approaches. The paper aims to conduct a conceptual review of the literature related to media literacy, generative AI, synthetic media, misinformation, digital credibility, and information verification, as a way to understand the evolution needed in media literacy in an AI-mediated communication world. This paper centers on the new issues arising from recognising synthetic content, assessing sources, verifying information, verifying manipulated media, and critically examining information generated by AI. It says that media literacy in the age of generative AI goes beyond critical evaluation of the source and message, to a greater focus on verification, source tracking, contextual analysis and awareness of AI-enabled communication. The paper suggests the concept of media literacy in the era of artificial intelligence as an ongoing set of skills which enables the audience to critically identify, analyse, verify and situate digital information. It summarizes that the ability to strengthen these capacities is of increasing significance in an ever-evolving digital media landscape to inform and responsible participation.