The Three Best Pieces of Writing About AI in 2026 That You Must Read Right Now

2025-08-21 · Source: The Algorithmic Bridge · Field: Technology & Digital — Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Emerging Technologies & Innovation · Depth: Intermediate, long

Summary

The article discusses three recent viral AI-related fictional pieces published in the last month, highlighting their significant reach and the blurring lines between truth and fiction in the AI era. These include Matt Shumer's "Something Big Is Happening," which garnered over 80 million views on X by broadly attributing current events to AI; Citrini's "The 2028 Global Intelligence Crisis," a financial doomsday scenario where AI disrupts the $13 trillion mortgage market; and Sam Kriss's Harper's essay "Child's play," a satirical account of the San Francisco tech scene. The author notes that despite their fictional nature, these pieces were widely perceived as true, reflecting a societal shift where truth has become stranger than fiction. The article also details the author's own experiment with a fictional viral piece, "Moltbook," further illustrating the challenges of discerning reality in an AI-saturated information landscape.

Key takeaway

For tech journalists and general readers navigating the AI information landscape, you should critically evaluate viral content, especially that which blurs the lines between fact and fiction. The prevalence of compelling, yet fabricated, narratives like "Something Big Is Happening" or "The 2028 Global Intelligence Crisis" indicates a need for increased media literacy. Your ability to discern truth from artifice is crucial as AI accelerates the erosion of shared reality, making it imperative to verify information and understand the intent behind widely circulated stories.

Key insights

Viral AI-related fiction blurs reality, reflecting a world where truth is stranger than fiction.

Principles

• Fiction can reveal more about life than reality.
• The AI era rapidly changes rules and constraints.
• AI is a recursively self-improving disruptor.

Method

The author created a fictional social network for AI agents, Moltbook, and then wrote a "leaked" fictional news article about it, to demonstrate how easily fiction can be mistaken for truth in the AI age.

In practice

• Question the veracity of viral online content.
• Read classical literature to discern fiction.
• Recognize AI's role in distorting reality.

Topics

• AI Societal Impact
• AI Misinformation
• Generative AI
• AI Evolution
• Future of AI

Best for: General Interest, Tech Journalist, AI Ethicist

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Editorial summary, takeaway, and curation by AIssential. Original article published by The Algorithmic Bridge.