Risk perceptions and trust mechanisms related to everyday AI

The increasing ubiquity and rapid advances in AI technology have spurred excitement and optimism and prompted expressions of growing concerns, such as fear of loss of control of AI, concerns about privacy and surveillance, algorithmic biases, technological unemployment, and other ethical concerns. The success of integrating AI into broad social systems critically depends on the public’s trust in and risk perceptions about AI technology. As such, it is critical to understand the sources and underlying mechanisms through which public understandings of AI are constructed. This chapter reviews risk perceptions, privacy concerns, and trust mechanisms related to AI. Theoretical concepts, corresponding empirical findings, and practical implications are critically examined.