AI literacy smacked me upside the head last Tuesday when I almost Venmo’d $200 to a deep fake of my cousin begging for “gas money” after a supposed car wreck. I’m sitting here in my Columbus apartment, November chill sneaking through the cracked window, pumpkin spice candle flickering like it’s judging me, and yeah—AI literacy is now my unofficial religion. I mean, I’m the guy who still calls it “the TikTok” and thought “deep fake” was just Hollywood magic till it hit my family group chat. Anyway, let’s unpack this mess.
My Dumbest AI Literacy Fail: The TikTok Ban That Broke My Brain
Back in 2024 when the TikTok bans started rolling out state by state, I was that dude rage-refreshing on a VPN at 2am in my boxers, Cheeto dust on my hoodie. I’d built this whole evening routine—doomscrolling dance trends while eating gas station taquitos—and poof, gone. But here’s the kicker: the ban forced me to actually read the news instead of watching 15-second hot takes. Suddenly I’m learning about data privacy, Section 230, and how the algorithm knew I’d cry at soldier-homecoming vids before I did. Embarrassing? Yup. Eye-opening? Double yup.
- Pro tip from my L: Use a VPN and a burner account to test what the algorithm feeds you. Mine started pushing QAnon remixes within three days. Wild.
Deep Fake Scandals That Made Me Question My Own Eyeballs (AI Literacy Save #1)
Fast-forward to last month. I’m at the laundromat—socks mismatched, AirPods half-dead—when my phone blows up. Group chat: “BRO IS THIS YOU?!” Attached is a video of “me” ranting about flatbreads at a town hall. Except I’ve never left Ohio, and I love flatbreads. The deep fake was so janky—my left ear kept flickering like bad Wi-Fi—but half my cousins already shared it. That’s when AI literacy became less “nice-to-have” and more “please don’t let me get canceled over CGI me.”
How I Became a Human Deep Fake Detector (AI Literacy Level-Up)
Took me three all-nighters and one very patient Reddit thread, but here’s my chaotic checklist:
- Shadows are snitches. If the light hits the face wrong, bail.
- Mouths don’t sync in 4K. Zoom in like a creep.
- Reverse image search errything. TinEye is my new BFF.
I even made a sticky note that says “IS THIS REAL OR IS ELON TROLLING US AGAIN?” and slapped it on my monitor. Cringe, but effective.
Why AI Literacy Ain’t Just for Nerds—It’s for Your Grandma Too
My Meemaw in Dayton called me sobbing because a deep fake of Trump told her to wire money to “save the election.” She’s 78, still writes checks, and thought “AI” meant artificial grass. We spent an hour on FaceTime—I showed her how to spot weird blinks, she showed me her prize-winning zucchini. That’s America, baby. AI literacy isn’t gatekeeping; it’s survival. And yeah, I teared up. Sue me.
AI Literacy Hacks I Wish I Knew Before I Looked Like a Conspiracy Theorist
Look, I’m no expert. I still say “anyhoo” unironically. But here’s what stuck:
- Fact-check like it’s your job. I use NewsGuard now—feels bougie but works.
- Watermark your own pics. I slap “PROPERTY OF OHIO’S FINEST CHAOS GREMLIN” on selfies. Petty? Maybe.
- Talk to humans. My barista taught me more about AI ethics than any TED Talk.
Anyway, AI Literacy Is Messy and That’s Okay
I’m still the guy who cried when TikTok went dark. Still the guy who paused a deep fake 47 times to check for ear glitches. Still the guy whose Meemaw now texts “IS THIS AI???” every time she sees a cat video. AI literacy isn’t about being perfect—it’s about being paranoid in a useful way.
So here’s my ask: next time you see a video that makes your spidey-sense tingle, don’t just share it. Pause. Zoom. Google. Teach your uncle. Teach your kid. Teach the lady at Kroger who’s mad about self-checkout. We’re all stumbling through this glitchy future together.
Drop your wildest deep fake story below—I’ll read ‘em while stress-eating Skyline Chili at 1am. Let’s get literate, y’all.
