Trend Synthetic content at scale is eroding the authenticity of work and workforce data

Summary

Deloitte's second 2026 trend warns that AI is blurring what is real in data about people and work. Generative and agentic systems now produce content in enormous volumes, which can obscure who created what, magnify bias and trap people in echo chambers. Organisations are losing trust in workforce data just when they depend on it most, and only 5 percent say they are making great progress on the problem. The erosion shows up in authenticity, such as embellished resumes and fake candidates, in agency, where it becomes unclear who did the work, and in critical judgment, as workers lean too heavily on AI. Deloitte urges a shift from cybersecurity to disinformation security. It also calls for helping workers judge what is real.