AI and Trust (2023)
schneier.com
February 3, 2026
17 min read
Summary
Trust plays a crucial role in daily interactions and technology use, encompassing reliance on devices, services, and individuals for safety and functionality. The concept of trust is increasingly significant in the context of AI, where users must depend on systems that could potentially be vulnerable to attacks.
Key Takeaways
- There are two distinct types of trust: interpersonal trust, which is based on personal relationships, and social trust, which relies on the predictability of behavior among strangers.
- The rise of artificial intelligence may lead to a fundamental misunderstanding of trust, causing people to perceive AIs as friends rather than services.
- Corporations controlling AI systems are likely to exploit the confusion surrounding trust, leading to untrustworthy practices.
- It is the government's responsibility to foster trust in society by regulating the organizations that develop and utilize AI, rather than the technology itself.
Community Sentiment
NegativeConcerns
- The ongoing exploitation of consumer trust by companies raises significant ethical concerns, indicating a systemic issue in how trust is managed in AI applications.
- The lack of a fiduciary responsibility for data handling in AI is alarming, as it underscores the potential for misuse and the need for stricter regulations to protect user information.
Source
schneier.com
Published
February 3, 2026
Reading Time
17 minutes
Relevance Score
50/100
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