Answer Engine Optimization centralizes truth production into machine-generated answers shaped by manipulable incentives, enabling widespread misinformation when most people accept answers without verification.
Instant access to information and AI-driven answers encourages shallow understanding by replacing context, effort, and practiced knowledge with quick, unearned summaries.
Search engine rankings and AI-generated top results create misplaced trust by appearing independent while remaining shaped by human design, optimization, and financial incentives.