Consumer Trust in AI Declines as Familiar Brands See Resurgence
Recent surveys by Morning Consult indicate a significant decline in American consumers' trust in artificial intelligence companies, despite increased usage of the technology. Seven out of ten major AI brands experienced year-over-year decreases in their net trust scores, positioning AI among the least trusted categories. Concurrently, a trend shows consumers gravitating towards familiar and nostalgic products, with brands like Lunchables, Capri-Sun, Hot Wheels, and Mr. Pibb seeing improved trust ratings, alongside established reliable brands such as Dawn and Band-Aid.
American consumers' trust in artificial intelligence companies is decreasing, even as their use of the technology grows, according to recent Morning Consult surveys. AI emerged as one of the least trusted categories among US consumers, with seven out of ten major AI brands reporting year-over-year declines in their net trust scores. An exception to this trend was Google's Gemini, which improved its score by six points, reaching a net trust score of 24 to lead the category.
Simultaneously, the surveys highlight a resurgence in popularity and trust for decidedly low-tech and nostalgic brands. Products such as Capri-Sun, Lunchables, Hot Wheels, and Mr. Pibb saw some of the greatest improvements in consumer trust scores. Morning Consult noted that these brands belong to "the brand landscape of childhood," offering a sense of comfort.
Other high-ranking brands for consumer trust include everyday essentials like Dawn dish soap, Band-Aid wound care, and Heinz ketchup, described as "reliable if not particularly exciting." The report suggests these brands eliminate surprise from the consumer relationship. Additionally, Gap's return to popularity was attributed to its adoption of Y2K aesthetics, evoking a comparatively simpler era.
Morning Consult, which has tracked trust scores for nearly 600 brands since 2018, found that Americans' overall trust in consumer brands is currently higher than ever. However, this contrasts sharply with attitudes toward rapidly evolving AI companies. A more detailed Morning Consult report from May revealed that over a third of survey respondents do not trust AI "at all," while Meta AI, Perplexity AI, and xAI experienced the sharpest declines in trust ratings since the previous year. One in five respondents also agreed that AI companies' products present "a real risk" of ending human civilization.
These findings suggest that consumers are in an "anchoring mode," seeking brands they can rely on when other aspects of their environment feel unstable. (Source: Business Insider)
