The uncanny valley describes our surprisingly inconsistent relationship with things that look human.

At one end are things that are obviously not human. A stick figure. A smiley face. A LEGO minifigure. They have eyes, a mouth and maybe even a personality, but they’re so clearly stylised that we don’t expect them to behave like people.

Move a little closer and you find cartoon characters. Pixar’s heroes laugh, cry and show emotion, but their oversized eyes and exaggerated features remind us they’re fictional.

Then come lifelike dolls, wax figures and humanoid robots. They have realistic skin, human proportions and faces that look almost convincing.

Almost.

That uneasy feeling is what Japanese roboticist Masahiro Mori called the uncanny valley. As something becomes more human-like, we tend to like it more—until it becomes almost human. Then our comfort suddenly drops away. It’s only once something becomes virtually indistinguishable from a real person that the feeling disappears.

For the last few years, AI lived squarely in that valley.

It gave us people with six fingers. Distorted faces. Eyes that didn’t quite focus. Voices that sounded human but carried a strange rhythm. The technology was remarkable, but it was obvious something wasn’t quite right.

Then, almost overnight, it got much better.

Today, AI-generated images regularly fool us. Cloned voices are almost indistinguishable from the originals. Video avatars blink, gesture and hold eye contact naturally. AI writes polished emails, reports and social posts that are increasingly difficult to distinguish from those written by people.

Ironically, as AI has climbed out of the uncanny valley, many of us have found ourselves in a different one.

The unsettling feeling hasn’t disappeared. It’s moved.

Instead of asking, “What’s wrong with this face?”, we’re asking, “Was this made by AI?”

Did the CEO really write that email?

Am I speaking to a customer service representative or a voice model?

Is this influencer even real?

We used to feel uncomfortable because technology wasn’t convincing enough. Now we feel uncomfortable because sometimes it is. That’s why authenticity suddenly matters more than ever.

It’s no coincidence that brands are leaning into behind-the-scenes videos, founder updates filmed on a phone, slightly imperfect photography and honest admissions when something hasn’t gone to plan.

Not because people have stopped appreciating quality.
Because these things signal that there’s a real person behind the message.
In a world where almost anything can be generated, authenticity becomes scarce – and therefore valuable.

Square Holes is a cultural insight studio.

We design mixed method explorations of people and culture beyond the category,  uncovering the patterns, tensions and shifts shaping behaviour to inform strategy, inspire innovation and enable confident decisions. Our studio model brings together the right mix of thinkers, researchers and specialists for each exploration. If you’re navigating change, entering a new market, or seeking deeper understanding of people and culture, let’s start a conversation >