A global survey by the University of Melbourne and KPMG found that people in emerging economies are more likely to trust AI than those in advanced economies.

The study involved over 48,000 participants across 47 countries and was conducted between November 2024 and January 2025.

The findings reveal that three in five individuals in emerging economies trust AI, compared to two in five in advanced nations.

Additionally, two-thirds of respondents reported using AI regularly.

Furthermore, 83% believe the technology would provide a range of benefits.

However, global skepticism remains high, with 58% of participants considering AI untrustworthy following the rise of generative AI tools like ChatGPT.

Nicole Gillespie, chair of trust at Melbourne Business School, noted that emerging economies’ higher trust in AI could be due to the clear economic benefits it provides.

The research highlights the urgent need for businesses and governments to manage AI adoption carefully, balancing innovation with ethical concerns like job loss and data privacy.

🔗 Source: Reuters

🧠 Food for thought

1️⃣ The AI trust paradox: High adoption despite persistent skepticism

Despite widespread concerns about AI trustworthiness, actual adoption continues to accelerate rapidly across global markets.

The original study found 58% of respondents view AI as untrustworthy, yet two-thirds regularly use AI technologies, revealing a significant gap between stated trust and actual behavior 1.

This pattern is further confirmed by Stanford’s 2025 AI Index, which documented corporate AI adoption jumping from 55% to 78% in just one year, even as privacy and misinformation concerns persist 2.

A similar contradiction appears in consumer behavior, with a Capgemini study finding 73% of consumers already trust generative AI for various tasks despite widespread public discourse about AI risks 3.

This suggests people and organizations may be pragmatically weighing immediate benefits against potential risks, with practical utility often winning over abstract concerns.