While politicians are promoting the promise of AI growth and efficiency, new reports reveal the deficit of public trust in technology. Many are deeply skeptical and have created a major headache in government plans.
Deep diving with the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (TBI) and Ipsos put some difficult numbers on this feeling of anxiety. We see that lack of trust is the single biggest reason why people avoid using generative AI. It’s not just a vague worry. It’s a real barrier that prevents politicians from being so excited.
Public trust in AI increases with use
The report illustrates an interesting division in how AI is viewed. On the other hand, more than half of us dabbled in generator AI tools last year. It’s pretty quickly adopted by technology that was mostly on public radar a few years ago.
However, almost half of the country has never used AI for work from home. This creates a huge gap in how people feel about AI and its growth. The data suggests that the more AI you use, the more you tend to trust it.
For those who have never used AI, 56% view it as a social risk. But for those who use it every week, that number is reduced by more than half, dropping to 26%. It is a classic case of familiarity breeding comfort. If you’ve never had a positive experience with AI, it’s much easier to believe in a scary headline. Looking at that limitation directly can also help counter the fear that everyone is trying to replace it with AI.
This disparity in public trust in AI is also shaped by who you are. Young people are generally optimistic, but older generations are more warped. Experts in the world of technology feel ready to go, but who are people in sectors like healthcare and education? They are far less confident, despite their work being more likely to be affected by AI growth.
It’s not what you do, it’s the way you do it
Among the most obvious parts of the report is that our feelings about AI change depending on the work it is doing.
I’m so happy that AI has helped me sort out traffic congestion and speed up cancer detection. why? Because we can see a direct positive benefit in our lives. Clearly, technology is what works for us.
But ask people how they feel about AI being used to monitor performance in the workplace, target it in political ads, or target mood sources. Plummet accepts it. This shows that our concerns are not really about the growth of AI itself, nor about its purpose.
We want to know that AI is in permanent use and that the rules are in place to ensure that large tech companies are not left completely in the driver’s seat.
How can public trust in AI be increased to support growth?
The TBI report does not just point out the problems. It provides a clear pathway to building what is called “legitimate trust.”
First, the government needs to change the way it speaks about AI. Forget the abstract promise to boost GDP. Instead, talk about the meaning of people’s lives: make hospital bookings faster, make public services easier to use, or reduce daily commutes. Show, don’t just talk about the benefits of AI growth.
Next, prove that it works. When AI is used in public services, you need to see evidence that spreadsheets are less efficient and are actually improving things. The measure of success must be our experience, not just technical benchmarks.
Of course, this won’t work without proper rules and training. Regulators need power and know-how to curb AI. You need access to training to feel confident using these new tools safely and effectively. Our goal is to create AI that can work with all of us.
Building public trust in AI to support its growth is building trust in the people and institutions responsible for it. If we can show that the government is committed to creating AI for everyone, it may just take the public for a ride.
reference: Trump jokes about AI while we and the UK sign new technology contracts
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