Leaders across technology, marketing, and customer experience all agree that trust is the foundation for AI’s success.
Yet despite the agreement on the importance of trust, consumer trust in AI remains strikingly low. In fact, Forrester’s data on consumer trust reveals a new reality: distrust by default. In France, for example, only 10% of consumers trust information provided by AI. German consumers are similarly wary, with just 12% trusting companies that use AI when interacting with customers. And in the UK, more than one in three consumers believe AI poses a serious threat to society. The picture in the US is not much better: Just 16% say that they trust information provided by AI, and one-third believe it poses a serious threat to society.
These figures highlight a trust gap that could undermine even the best AI initiatives. If a large portion of your customer base is skeptical or fearful of AI, how can any AI-powered experience truly succeed?
Yet if distrust in AI is the new normal, a unique opportunity lies in the hands of every organization as it navigates the most powerful technological revolution of their corporate life: reshaping customers’ trust expectations and experiences. Make no mistake, succeeding means going well beyond just compliance or ethics checklists. It’s about embedding trust at the core of AI strategy, from how companies design algorithms to how they communicate AI-driven decisions to customers. This means breaking silos and adopting a new approach to responsible AI practices that actively addresses consumers’ concerns. It means pulling the levers that shape trust — such as transparency, fairness, privacy, and reliability — so that customers feel comfortable and safe engaging with AI-enabled products and services.
Winning customers’ trust is possible, and organizations that succeed will not only mitigate risk but also differentiate their brand in an AI-driven world, for both customers and prospects.
At Forrester’s CX Summit EMEA, happening June 8–10 in Amsterdam, I’ll dive deep into this topic during my keynote session, “Distrust In The Age Of AI.” Join me to hear new research-based insights and real-world examples of how marketing, digital, and customer experience leaders can turn trust from a hurdle into a strength. We’ll explore practical steps to implement responsible AI practices that resonate with consumers.
If you’re based in the US, my colleague Jess Lloyd will deliver this keynote later in June at CX Forum East in New York City and CX Forum West in San Francisco.
The era of AI in customer experience is here, and its success depends on earning your customers’ trust. Whether you’re rolling out an AI-powered chatbot, personalizing customer journeys with machine learning, or developing the next intelligent product, you’ll walk away from this keynote with actionable insights to help ensure that those innovations are met with enthusiasm, not skepticism. If you’re a marketing, digital, or CX leader eager to harness AI’s potential, this session is designed for you.
