AI involvement lessens trust by double-digit percentages

Global market researchers Ipsos report in their latest Consumer Tracker report that Americans trust advertising, internet search and social media significantly less if created or enhanced using artificial intelligence (AI).

Consider in the way of a baseline reading that things American say they distrust least are:

• Friends (Fewer than 5% distrust.)
• Family (5%)
• Science and technology (8%)

And things they say the distrust most:

• Vote counting in US elections (30%)
• Federal Reserve (25%)
• Professional sports officiating (24%)

Politically, Democrats trust elections and the Federal Reserve significantly more than do Republicans.

Things survey respondents said they would most distrust more if created by AI:

• Social media influencers (+39%)
• Product/service reviews (+31%)
• Television advertising (+30%)
• Internet search results (+28%)

Also, across age groups, 58% to 69% of respondents said they prefer the following items to be created by humans, vs. 12%-18% who said they's prefer AI-created content:

• Online news
• Online marketing collateral
• News pictures
• Artistic photos or illustrations
• Movies, streamed or in theaters
• Videos for personal use

Persons aged 18-34 most liked AI-created content (19%-26% preferred), but that's still a minority vs. human-created.

Comments:

• Note that when AI is involved, distrust dominates over trust universally - often by 2 to 1.
• And respondents said they are 3X as likely to lose rather than gain trust if they find out you're using AI to create content.

Can consumers spot AI content? If not now, will they learn to do this? How soon, and what will happen then? Watch this space.