IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jscscx/v13y2024i5p251-d1389024.html

Exploring Motivators for Trust in the Dichotomy of Human—AI Trust Dynamics

Author

Listed:
  • Michael Gerlich

    (Center for Strategic Corporate Foresight and Sustainability, SBS Swiss Business School, 8302 Kloten, Switzerland)

Abstract

This study analyses the dimensions of trust in artificial intelligence (AI), focusing on why a significant portion of the UK population demonstrates a higher level of trust in AI compared to humans. Conducted through a mixed-methods approach, this study gathered 894 responses, with 451 meeting the criteria for analysis. It utilised a combination of a six-step Likert-scale survey and open-ended questions to explore the psychological, sociocultural, and technological facets of trust. The analysis was underpinned by structural equation modelling (SEM) and correlation techniques. The results unveil a strong predilection for trusting AI, mainly due to its perceived impartiality and accuracy, which participants likened to conventional computing systems. This preference starkly contrasts with the scepticism towards human reliability, which is influenced by the perception of inherent self-interest and dishonesty in humans, further exacerbated by a general distrust in media narratives. Additionally, this study highlights a significant correlation between distrust in AI and an unwavering confidence in human judgment, illustrating a dichotomy in trust orientations. This investigation illuminates the complex dynamics of trust in the era of digital technology, making a significant contribution to the ongoing discourse on AI’s societal integration and underscoring vital considerations for future AI development and policymaking.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael Gerlich, 2024. "Exploring Motivators for Trust in the Dichotomy of Human—AI Trust Dynamics," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-20, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:13:y:2024:i:5:p:251-:d:1389024
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/13/5/251/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/13/5/251/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Song, Mengmeng & Xing, Xinyu & Duan, Yucong & Cohen, Jason & Mou, Jian, 2022. "Will artificial intelligence replace human customer service? The impact of communication quality and privacy risks on adoption intention," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    2. Xuequn Wang & Mina Tajvidi & Xiaolin Lin & Nick Hajli, 2020. "Towards an Ethical and Trustworthy Social Commerce Community for Brand Value Co-creation: A trust-Commitment Perspective," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 167(1), pages 137-152, November.
    3. Thomas Davenport & Abhijit Guha & Dhruv Grewal & Timna Bressgott, 2020. "How artificial intelligence will change the future of marketing," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 48(1), pages 24-42, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Nuno Ligeiro & Ivo Dias & Ana Moreira, 2024. "Recruitment and Selection Process Using Artificial Intelligence: How Do Candidates React?," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-17, July.
    2. Yuna Lee & Sang-Soo Lee, 2025. "Exploring the Conceptual Model and Instructional Design Principles of Intelligent Problem-Solving Learning," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-33, August.
    3. Michael Gerlich, 2025. "AI Tools in Society: Impacts on Cognitive Offloading and the Future of Critical Thinking," Societies, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-28, January.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Poushneh, Atieh & Vasquez-Parraga, Arturo & Gearhart, Richard S., 2024. "The effect of empathetic response and consumers’ narcissism in voice-based artificial intelligence," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    2. Yao, Qi & Hu, Chao & Zhou, Wenkai, 2024. "The impact of customer privacy concerns on service robot adoption intentions: A credence/experience service typology perspective," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 198(C).
    3. Kan Jiang & Junyuan Zheng & Meilian Qin & Shaohua Luo, 2024. "Perceived retailer innovativeness and its impact on customer engagement behavior in smart retailing," Service Business, Springer;Pan-Pacific Business Association, vol. 18(2), pages 255-285, June.
    4. Min Qin & Wei Zhu & Shiyue Zhao & Yu Zhao, 2022. "Is Artificial Intelligence Better than Manpower? The Effects of Different Types of Online Customer Services on Customer Purchase Intentions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-18, March.
    5. Gong, Xiuyuan & Sun, Pengkai, 2025. "Can virtual streamers express emotions? Understanding the language style of virtual streamers in livestreaming e-commerce," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    6. Darima Fotheringham & Michael A. Wiles, 2023. "The effect of implementing chatbot customer service on stock returns: an event study analysis," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 51(4), pages 802-822, July.
    7. Leah Warfield Smith & Randall Lee Rose & Alex R. Zablah & Heath McCullough & Mohammad “Mike” Saljoughian, 2023. "Examining post-purchase consumer responses to product automation," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 51(3), pages 530-550, May.
    8. Rosanna Cataldo & Martha Friel & Maria Gabriella Grassia & Marina Marino & Emma Zavarrone, 2025. "Importance Performance Matrix Analysis for Assessing User Experience with Intelligent Voice Assistants: A Strategic Evaluation," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 178(3), pages 1053-1079, July.
    9. Latinovic, Zoran & Chatterjee, Sharmila C., 2022. "Achieving the promise of AI and ML in delivering economic and relational customer value in B2B," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 966-974.
    10. Shengliang Zhang & Chaoying Huang & Xiaodong Li & Ai Ren, 2022. "Understanding Impacts of Service Robots with the Revised Gap Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-23, February.
    11. Jung-Chieh Lee & Ting Li & Lihui Zhang, 2025. "Environmental concerns and green trust in continuous green fintech use: an expectation-confirmation model with insights from Ant Forest," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 12(1), pages 1-16, December.
    12. Gao, Junzhe & Opute, Abdullah Promise & Jawad, Caroline & Zhan, Meng, 2025. "The influence of artificial intelligence chatbot problem solving on customers’ continued usage intention in e-commerce platforms: an expectation-confirmation model approach," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    13. Teck Ming Tan & Saila Saraniemi, 2023. "Trust in blockchain-enabled exchanges: Future directions in blockchain marketing," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 51(4), pages 914-939, July.
    14. Li, Yan & Xiang, Xiaofang & Wu, Ruijuan, 2026. "Display advertising or social media post? The impact of endorsement execution form on the effectiveness of virtual influencers’ advertising endorsements," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    15. Stefan Stremersch & Elke Cabooter & Ivan A. Guitart & Nuno Camacho, 2025. "Customer insights for innovation: A framework and research agenda for marketing," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 53(1), pages 29-51, January.
    16. Celiktutan, Begum & Klesse, Anne-Kathrin & Tuk, Mirjam A., 2024. "Acceptability lies in the eye of the beholder: Self-other biases in GenAI collaborations," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 41(3), pages 496-512.
    17. Dai, Qi & Jiang, Yuanyuan, 2026. "Front or back? The impact of AI information presentation order on purchase intentions at different AI innovation locus," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    18. Cambra-Fierro, Jesús & Polo-Redondo, Yolanda & Trifu, Andreea, 2021. "Short-term and long-term effects of touchpoints on customer perceptions," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    19. Li, Meichan & Wang, Rui, 2023. "Chatbots in e-commerce: The effect of chatbot language style on customers’ continuance usage intention and attitude toward brand," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    20. Wang, Xinmeng & Zhang, Zhe & Jiang, Qingyun, 2024. "The effectiveness of human vs. AI voice-over in short video advertisements: A cognitive load theory perspective," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:13:y:2024:i:5:p:251-:d:1389024. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager The email address of this maintainer does not seem to be valid anymore. Please ask MDPI Indexing Manager to update the entry or send us the correct address (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.