In recent months, a curious trend has begun to attract attention on social media: older adults, especially the "boomer" generation, are engaging with AI-generated images on platforms like Facebook as if they were completely real.

This phenomenon not only highlights a generational digital divide but also forces us to rethink how trust and authenticity are built online in the age of artificial intelligence—and how this new reality could impact advertising and the way brands communicate in the digital space.

The New Digital Aesthetic: When the Artificial Looks Real

It has become common to see thousands of AI-generated images circulating across social media, garnering massive engagement. The issue arises when the most active users interacting with this content are older adults, who, despite the images displaying clear signs of being fake, often perceive them as authentic, especially among certain age groups.

But… what does this mean for advertisers?

Among other things, it signals a new visual frontier for advertising. In an environment where algorithmically created images are consumed without question, brands have the opportunity to explore highly emotional or nostalgic visuals generated by AI to connect with specific audiences. However, it also raises ethical concerns around manipulation and transparency.

Perception: A New Battleground

Despite some AI-generated images being marked or showing odd visual details (poorly rendered hands, strange proportions...), many users still struggle to tell real from fake.

This underscores a lack of digital literacy, particularly among older generations and those who didn’t grow up with digital technology.

In digital marketing, this reality presents two main takeaways:

•    New segmentation opportunities: understanding which generational groups are more susceptible to certain types of content can help optimize campaign targeting.

•    Ethical and social responsibility: using AI in marketing is entirely legitimate, but it must be done transparently, with great care not to erode consumer trust.

Brands wishing to use generative AI must also ask themselves: to what extent is it acceptable to evoke emotion using unreal imagery? And how can users be informed when content is artificially created?

Digital Literacy and the Advertising Industry

The fact that many people cannot identify an artificial image poses a double-edged sword for advertising if exploited irresponsibly. This reveals a pressing issue: the need for digital literacy.

Now more than ever, brands have both an opportunity and a responsibility to promote media literacy. For example:

•    Clearly labeling AI-generated content.

•    Launching campaigns that explain how certain ads are produced.

•    Collaborating with media outlets and platforms to make creative processes more transparent.

The ease with which a fake image can be mistaken for a real one has not only cultural and social implications, but it also creates a strategic challenge: consumer trust is more fragile than ever.

In this context, the advertising industry has a valuable opportunity to learn and evolve, guided by key principles:

•    AI should enhance creativity, not deceive.

•    Creators must ask themselves: Are we communicating with honesty, or exploiting a lack of digital awareness?

•    All consumers, even the most digitally vulnerable, deserve content that is responsible and respectful.

In a media landscape saturated with synthetic images, regaining public trust will require a genuine commitment to ethics, education, and intentional creativity.

Conclusion

The viral spread of AI-generated images among boomers on Facebook is more than just a quirky anecdote. It signals a shift in how we relate to visuals, technology, and truth. In a world where artificial blends seamlessly with real, the challenge for advertising isn't just to innovate but to uphold authenticity and ethics as core values.

Brands that manage to balance technological innovation with genuine respect for their audiences won’t just create more effective campaigns, they’ll also build stronger, longer-lasting relationships.

If you're looking to explore how to make the most of this convergence between AI, digital media, and visual storytelling in your advertising strategies—and how to design more immersive, effective, and personalized campaigns for your audiences—let’s talk!