Mirriam-Webster announced that Authentic was their word of the year for 2023, calling to the large abundance of AI technology and conversations over the course of the year. Apps like ChatGPT, Google Bard, and Dall-E have spurred huge discussions across the world online, in schools, and among politicians as the technology opens doors down paths never walked before. 

Authentic however, comes as a rebuttal, a response from people who have used their humanity as a selling point among the surge in AI content, marketing themselves as “real” or “genuine” as a counter to the generic, and sometimes boilerplate, content generated by AI. 

Deepfake also made the list, referencing Elon Musk’s use of the word to defend himself against giving legal testimony under the risk of being manipulated due to his status as a celebrity figure. This argument was swiftly denied by a judge, but still caused the term to spread widely across his newly acquired platform X which was also featured on Merriam-Webster’s list along with RIzz, Dystopian, Coronation, and Implode.