What happens to trust when attention becomes more valuable than the truth?

Global trust in news fell to 37%, with trust in social-media-delivered news at 22% and AI chatbots at 20%, while 62% of respondents worldwide worry about distinguishing real from fake content. Artificial intelligence now produces convincing fabricated images, videos, and text that can be packaged to resemble legitimate reporting, amplifying outrage and sensationalism. The article argues that the shift of attention as a currency erodes trust, and calls for individual responsibility and platform design that rewards constructive disagreement over emotional engagement.