Credibility vs. Quantity: Trust in the Age of AI and Fake News

On March 26, FleishmanHillard and Kreatív are co-hosting a workshop to explore the intersection of consumer expectations, business goals, and communication trends. In anticipation of the event, Szatmári Péter, the agency’s Director of Expertise, provides a brief overview of the key topics we will discuss from an international perspective.

It is no secret that professionals working in corporate communications face significant challenges. However, the paradox we are currently experiencing may be unprecedented even for us. On one hand, companies and brands are under increasing pressure to share ever more content about themselves and their operations across an expanding number of platforms. It has become almost an expectation that our bank or financial advisor floods us with content everywhere—from emails to TikTok.

On the other hand, audiences are not only overwhelmed by this sheer volume of content, but with the rise of AI-generated materials and fake news, such an approach can be counterproductive and even harmful. If a company does not build trust with its audience, its content will be dismissed outright.

According to Accenture Life Trends 2025, 62% of consumers cite trust as the primary factor in deciding whether to engage with a brand, marking a 10%+ increase in just one year.

This trend is hardly surprising, especially considering that 60% of respondents claim they have never been more uncertain about the authenticity of online content than they are today. This growing skepticism has even fueled the widespread acceptance of the “Dead Internet Theory”—the idea that a significant portion of online content is artificially generated.

Find the full agenda and speaker lineup for the workshop here!

So, what is the solution for brands and companies looking to establish a strong and commercially beneficial connection with their audiences?

The answer is simple: TRUST.

Transparency and Authenticity

Avoiding "greenhushing"
Insight-driven strategic planning
Building long-term relationships with both audiences and journalists

Real-Time Crisis Communications

Continuous updates and responsiveness in crisis management
Proactive reputation-building and narrative development rather than reactive solutions
Integrating cutting-edge technologies and solutions
Prioritizing systematic frameworks over pre-scripted responses

User-Centric Content Generation

The importance of data-driven strategies
Ethical application of AI
The role of peer-to-peer influence (influencers)

Prioritizing Authentic Storytelling Over Platform Focus

Shifting from tool- and discipline-dominated planning to narrative-driven communication
Integrating multiple formats beyond written communication (e.g., video)
"Handcrafted" content vs. AI-generated materials

Team Advocacy & Employee-Driven Trust

The role of internal influencers and brand ambassadors in fostering credibility
The importance of internal communication for corporate success

Even in today’s fast-paced, short-term results-driven world, companies should invest time and effort into developing genuine, data-driven, and insight-led strategies that cultivate long-term relationships with their audiences—rather than relying solely on one-off creative bursts and short-lived impacts.