The AI Trust Gap
Idil Miriam Cakim · 2026
The chapter examines the widening divide between artificial intelligence use and trust. It highlights the rapid rise of intentional use across work and personal life while showing that confidence in artificial intelligence systems has steadily declined. The chapter explores why this gap persists, highlighting concerns about accuracy, cybersecurity, misinformation, job displacement and the opacity of automated systems. It shows how perceptions often outweigh lived experience, with many consumers worrying about risks they have not personally encountered. The chapter also explains how limited understanding of artificial intelligence’s role in everyday tools contributes to skepticism and why this disconnect matters for marketers and organizations. By mapping the psychological, cultural and structural forces shaping public sentiment, the chapter positions trust as a prerequisite for meaningful engagement. It establishes the foundation for understanding how consumers evaluate artificial intelligence and what they need to feel confident using it.