The Complex Psychology Of People Choosing To Trust Either Humans Or AI

New research on trust examines how people decide whether to rely on humans or artificial intelligence, finding a recurring “human premium” in which individuals trust people more and an “AI penalty,” where AI is judged less trustworthy. The studies also show that those patterns can flip depending on context: people may perceive an “AI premium” and apply a “human penalty.” A key theme is that trust often follows perception rather than accuracy—what users believe they’re interacting with can shape their willingness to comply or rely on outputs. As AI becomes more sophisticated and harder to distinguish, these biases become more influential in everyday decisions. The piece frames this as part of broader work on AI complexities and human mind changes from AI interaction.