As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly integrated into everyday life, public trust in both AI systems and the organisations behind them has become an important topic of research. A recent international study conducted by researchers at Tampere University explores how different experiential and psychological factors are associated with trust in AI and major technology companies.
Drawing on survey data collected in 2024 from 11,259 participants in twelve countries across six continents, the study adopts a sociopsychological perspective. The findings suggest that positive user experiences and feelings of connectedness when interacting with AI are consistently associated with trust across countries, while factors such as perceived competence, autonomy and AI self-efficacy show more variation between national contexts.
The study also highlights the close relationship between trust in AI technologies and trust in the companies that develop and deploy them. According to the researchers, understanding trust as a social and experiential phenomenon is increasingly relevant as AI systems continue to influence work, communication and access to services globally.
More about the new study:
Cvetkovic, A., Savolainen, I., Celuch, M., Heiskari, M., Soares Ruokosuo, E., Arriaga, P., Koike, M., & Oksanen, A. (2026). User trust in AI and major tech companies in twelve countries. Behaviour & Information Technology, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1080/0144929X.2026.2619648