Australians lack trust in AI

Australians have little confidence in the ability of AI to act as a force for good, according to research from BSI.

A global survey conducted by the business standards company found that just 22% of Australian respondents have more confidence in AI than people to detect food contamination issues, and 60% believe there need to be protections for vulnerable consumers around the use of AI.

Likewise, while 52% of Australian respondents believe that AI can improve the accuracy of medical diagnoses, 73% say patients need to be made aware that AI tools are being used in diagnosis or treatment.

Meanwhile, 64% of Australians want international guidelines to enable the safe use of AI and 47% say safeguards on ethical use of patient data are important.

Australians do recognise the opportunity of AI to drive some societal process, with 36% stating that a top priority of AI by 2050 is to help reduce humans’ impact on the environment, 40% focus on improvements to medical diagnosis and 20% believe AI can help make society fairer and reduce inequality.

But BSI Australia Managing Director Charlene Loo said the findings still demonstrate low levels of trust in the technology compared to international markets.

“AI is a transformational technology. For it to realise its potential to be a powerful force for good, trust needs to be the critical factor. There is a clear opportunity to harness AI to drive societal impact, change lives and accelerate progress towards a better future and a sustainable world. BSI’s Trust in AI findings reveal that Australia has the lowest trust levels in AI globally,” she said.

“Closing the AI confidence gap with education to build understanding can help more Australians realise its benefits, build increased trust and shape Society 5.0 in a positive way. BSI is proud to be at the forefront of ensuring AI’s safe and trusted integration into everyday lives around the world.”

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