Shoppers still distrust artificial intelligence

Only 20 percent of US consumers ‘mostly’ or ‘completely’ trust artificial intelligence (AI) says the fifth edition of the ‘dunnhumby Consumer Trends Tracker’ (CTT). Consumer trust in AI is higher than other markets such as the UK, where the figure is 14 percent. The study finds that the level of trust consumers have in AI is largely dependent on age. While younger consumers – under the age of 45 – have a higher level of trust in AI (31 percent ‘mostly’ or ‘completely’ trust AI), just eight percent of those aged 55 and over ‘mostly’ or ‘completely’ trust AI.

The top five concerns respondents have about AI are loss of jobs, security and privacy, loss of human touch, technology 'in the wrong hands,’ and misinformation.

Security (46 percent), personalized rewards and recommendations (45 percent), and budgeting (42 percent) are the three most popular use cases for AI according to the survey respondents. For older consumers, 55 and over – an age group that is otherwise distrusting or disinterested in AI – security (e.g., store surveillance, theft prevention, fraud detection) is the most appealing use (40 percent).