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As 2025 has unfolded the line between artificial intelligence and reality has become increasingly blurred. Never has it been so difficult to discern what's real and fake on the internet.
There has not been a better example of this than earlier this week when an incredible video of the world's first 'skyscraper stadium' in Saudi Arabia went viral on social media, gaining more than 50 million views - and coverage from news outlets across the globe.
It showed a design of the Gulf state's Neom Sky Stadium, announced last year, which is expected to sit 1,000 feet above ground level, boast a capacity of 46,000 and play host to the 2034 World Cup in the Middle East. The venue is one of 15 set to feature at the tournament - just four of which have already been built.
The Saudis promised 'one of a kind' stadiums when they were controversially awarded football's most prestigious event back in December. So when fans were offered their first look at the groundbreaking pitch in the clouds, they were fascinated by what they saw.
But the incredible video they were watching was not the elaborate work of Saudi Arabia, or the company funding the stadium, at all.
No, it was made in just two minutes a couple of weeks earlier by 34-year-old Liam Hawes, from East Sussex, as he settled down for a good night's sleep in bed.
A design of Saudi Arabia's 'sky stadium' fooled more than 50 million people earlier this week
The video was however not the elaborate work of the Saudis. No, it was created by 34-year-old Liam Hawes in bed
He posted the video on his 'Hypora Ultraworks' Facebook page before it gained a huge amount of traction and went worldwide.
Since Liam started the account earlier this month - on which he regularly posts conceptual clips of grand designs - it has gained almost 350 million views. Yet despite such levels of popularity, the Seaford resident has not made a penny because he can't monetise content from Facebook.
He told Daily Mail Sport on Thursday: 'It was crazy. Two weeks ago while I was on my phone before bed I just had the idea pop in my head. I got this concept up and before you know it, it's going all around the world. We had 13,000 people share it to start with and after that there was no containment really.'
Liam did a fantastic job, and fooled media outlets across the globe. 'I saw all sorts of publications and social media accounts spreading that the video was supposedly the official Saudi Arabia skyscraper stadium for the World Cup,' he said. 'I was like, I have no idea what's going on here. I had no idea about the Saudis' project.
'Before you know it, I've had my friends and even my mum calling saying, "Isn't that video on the news that thing you designed?" It was crazy.'
Revealing how he made the clip, Liam added: 'I own a small media company and I just figured that I should learn about AI. I just used an image designer.
'I was in bed before going to sleep, I was playing around with the idea of stadiums on top of skyscrapers because it's something that would be recognised around the world.
'It took literally a couple of minutes to put together. Probably two or three minutes and suddenly people think it's an official Saudi Arabian concept. The video cost about 35p to make and I did it on my phone.'
Liam fooled a host of publications from across the globe with the AI hoax
While Liam's concept is a hoax, the Gulf state's plan to erect the world's first skyscraper stadium is anything but.
The Neom Sky Stadium is part of a project in the country called 'The Line', which is to be a smart city in the north-western region of Neom. The area is expected to be car-free and only as long as the Empire State Building is high.
According to the company's Facebook page, the ground will boast a capacity of almost 50,000, four training sites and offer north of 2,000 corporate and box seats.
Concept designs released on the same page back in December show a futuristic, illuminated stadium squeezed into 'The Line'.
Eight of the 2034 World Cup's other venues will be situated in the Saudi capital of Riyadh. One of those is the 92,760 capacity King Salman International Stadium, also yet to be constructed, where the opening game and final will be played.
Other venues include the Qiddiya Coast Stadium and the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium, which will be located on a rooftop.
The nation will be the second in the Middle East to host a World Cup in a little over a decade after the tournament went to Qatar three years ago.
That event was the first to ever take place in the winter, a decision made due to the incredibly warm conditions in that part of the world.
And it was revealed earlier this month that the Saudi World Cup could too be held between the months of November and December, when temperatures are considerably lower than those of the summer months.
Liam has created a host of grand designs using AI on his 'Hypora Ultraworks' Facebook account
Speaking in early October, FIFA President Gianni Infantino claimed football fans need to have an 'open mind' about when the sport's most highly anticipated event takes place.
'It's not just about one World Cup, it's a general reflection, even to play in some European countries in July is very, very hot, so maybe we have to think,' he said.
'Actually, the best month to play football, which is June, is not used very much in Europe.
'Maybe there are ways we can optimise the calendar, but we are discussing it and we will see when we come to some conclusions. We just have to have an open mind.
'It is a fact that in the world, if you want to play at the same time everywhere, you can play in March or in October, most likely. Because in December you cannot play in one part of the world and in July you cannot play in another part of the world.
'We need to consider all these elements when we speak about national team competitions, national team release, about club competitions, and see how we can make it better for the benefit of everyone.'
The international match calendar is currently fixed until 2030, with the next two editions of the men's World Cup taking place in the northern hemisphere summer.
The United States, Canada and Mexico are hosting next year's event in June and July.
Kick-off times are expected to be 5pm BST, 8pm, 11pm and 2am, mirroring this summer's FIFA Club World Cup.
That tournament was beset by heat issues, so the marquee matches at the World Cup are set to be in the later slots to aid player welfare.
Images which emerged last year on Neom's official Facebook page showed a very different design of the sky stadium
Works are expected to begin on the ground in 2027 with a view to completion in 2032
Neom Sky Stadium will boast some 46,000 seats, according to plans
It will also feature more than 2,000 box seats and four 'training sites'
Speaking about what the World Cup could learn from the Club World Cup, FIFA vice president Victor Montagliani admitted it was 'kick-off times'.
Elaborating further, he told the Leaders Conference in Twickenham: 'Kick-off times are always an issue in our region because summers are hot in Canada and US.
'We're having conversations daily with European media and other world media, in terms of what's best and which are the stadiums that you can play at 3pm. That's all in the mix now.
'Once the actual schedule comes out after the draw, we will do our best to ensure it's taken into consideration. Will it be that every game will be absolutely perfect from a kick-off time, from a TV perspective? I don't know.'
Morocco, Portugal and Spain have been confirmed as co-hosts of the 2030 tournament.
Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay will also hold matches to mark the centenary edition of the World Cup, which was won by the latter.
