People are taking a patchwork approach to self-expression to feel like they have control over how their identity is generated. Yet as individual expression becomes more mutable and mistrust in social systems abounds, there’s one place above all that people are seeking integrity and guidance: brands.

Algorithms have become central to discovering new music and products online – but are machine-led recommendations always welcome? Canvas8 spoke to Chiara Longoni, an assistant professor at Boston University, to understand how people’s goals impact their willingness to trust AI.

When OpenAI released ChatGPT to the public, the text generator made a clear case for the sheer disruptive force of AI – making it apparent that such technology will change the way we experience information and engage with brands. But major challenges remain before AI elbows humans out of the way.

People are increasingly feeling as though generative AI isn’t just a fad but rather will become a part of their daily lives – even if they don’t fully trust it. While generally cautious about the technology, a desire remains for the automation and simplification of everyday tasks AI can provide.

Amid plummeting trust in Big Tech, and a broader sense of confusion surrounding all things Web3, initial hype has given way to a trepidation as people speculate on how emerging technologies will shape our collective future. Against this backdrop, brands will need to help people feel more comfortable with emerging tech if they are to prompt adoption.