Global study reveals trust of AI remains a critical challenge, reflecting tension between benefits and risks.
Johannesburg, South Africa � Friday, 9 May 2025,
A global study on trust in Artificial Intelligence (AI) released recently reveals that more than half of the people globally are unwilling to trust AI, reflecting an underlying tension between its obvious benefits and perceived risks.
Key findings:
� The intelligent age has arrived � 66% of people use AI regularly, and 83% believe the use of AI will result in a wide range of benefits.
� Yet, Trust remains a critical challenge: only 46% of people globally are willing to trust AI systems.
� There is a public mandate for national and international AI regulation, with 70% believing regulation is needed.
� Many rely on AI output without evaluating accuracy (66%) and are making mistakes in their work due to AI (56%).
The Trust, attitudes and use of artificial intelligence: A global study 2025 led by Professor Nicole Gillespie, Chair of Trust at Melbourne Business School at the University of Melbourne and Dr Steve Lockey, Research Fellow at Melbourne Business School, in collaboration with ÀÖÓ㣨Leyu£©ÌåÓý¹ÙÍø, is the most comprehensive global study into the public’s trust, use and attitudes towards AI.
The study surveyed over 48,000 people across 47 countries between November 2024 and January 2025. It found that although 66% of people are already intentionally using AI with some regularity, less than half of global respondents are willing to trust it (46%).
When compared to the last study of 17 countries conducted prior to the release of ChatGPT in 2022, it reveals that people have become less trusting and more worried about AI as adoption has increased.
"The public’s trust of AI technologies and their safe and secure use is central to sustained acceptance and adoption. Given the transformative effects of AI on society, work, education, and the economy, bringing the public voice into the conversation has never been more critical - Nicole Gillespie, Chair of Trust and Professor of Management, Melbourne Business School, University of Melbourne.