Seeing through the looking glass: Authenticity, trust, and the power of real relationships

Today’s headlines are dominated by talk of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and how it will change – or, in more breathless moments, revolutionize – our lives. The digital revolution continues apace, increasingly turning wealth into a virtual entity, and industry into cyber ether. And so, it’s not surprising that many of us are left pining for the days when you could see and feel “things.” In and of itself, the rapid growth of an AI-powered virtual world is not wrong, and it can be fairly argued that it is true progress for humanity. But it can sometimes leave us feeling that something is missing in the human equation that is our lives.

Even the numbers we see seem oddly unearthly these days: try absorbing that AI-buildout spending this year by just four hyper-scalers – Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet and Meta – is expected to reach US$700 billion. Or, that our first trillionaire has just been minted on the back of an Initial Public Offering (IPO) for a space exploration company. Sometimes it all seems a tad disjointed from reality. 

Reaching for the real

We see central banks still buying gold as a “store of value,” investors buying real estate, as well as stocks of companies that are engaged in “real” businesses (e.g. energy, resources, manufacturers). There is something about these assets that allow us to feel that we own something tangible and real.

And so, it’s not surprising to see the increase in investors’ – and many of our own clients’ – interest in alternative investments such as art and collectables. After some post-COVID turbulence, the art market’s global sales returned to growth in 2025 (up 4% to US$60 billion), while U.S. auction transaction values surged 23%. The Canadian market showed resilience in the face of a sluggish economy, highlighted by a well known art auction house’s record CAD$74 million in annual sales. Importantly, not only are collectible and art investments “real” assets, but they can also provide an additional bonus.  They can generate a tangible, and positive experience for the owner. Owning a painting and hanging it in your living room provides an opportunity to enjoy the art as a lived experience, and not just a number on a screen.

Cybercrime and the art – and artifice – of the fake

Unfortunately, art and other collectible assets are subject to the same risks as other assets, most notably fraud and theft. When it comes to fraud, it’s fair to say that authenticity is a real issue more than it might be one for an iron ore mining company or a soup manufacturer.  This serves as an important reminder that, tangible or non-tangible, real or virtual, all assets are targets for nefarious operators.

Another consequence of our ever-growing virtual world is the rise in cybercrime. What’s “real” and what’s not, has become increasingly blurred, from phishing to fake investments to romance scams.

Today’s cybercriminals can easily reach into the real world from the virtual one. They are increasingly enabled by the power of AI, so discerning “what’s what” for their targets is evermore challenging. The days of clumsy, spelling error-filled phishing emails are over, with today's threat actors often using sophisticated public audio and video to build high-fidelity digital replicas designed to bypass protocols and defences – most of all our own judgement. In particular, generative AI threats are appearing increasingly, with annual deepfake fraud losses surging into the billions of dollars in Canada. Interpol data shows that AI-boosted scams are 4.5 times more profitable than legacy fraud, contributing to a US$442 billion global financial fraud ecosystem.

Your Investment Counsellor: A genuine, not generative, partnership

As we seek the real and the tangible in an evermore intangible world, it is important for us to remember that authenticity is critically important – from art to emails to relationships. Authenticity forms the key cornerstone of trust, and in today’s world, trust has become the most important asset of all. Whether it’s the provenance of a painting, the tangible value of an asset or investment, or the genuineness of a new online relationship, trust becomes paramount – and must be earned and validated.  

That’s why your Investment Counsellor serves as your authentic partner in helping to protect you from the false and fraudulent. Defence against crime – both cyber and legacy – is a partnership and a process, but the value of a trusted relationship with someone that is 100% focused on your well-being and protection is as priceless as a Michaelangelo.

If you are wondering whether something is real or not – from an online investment proposal to a newfound “friend” on social media – talk to your Investment Counsellor. More often than not, reaching out and touching base with someone real and trustworthy will make all the difference in – and bring your feet back safely to the ground.