From tailored Netflix recommendations to personalized Facebook feeds, artificial intelligence (AI) adeptly serves content that matches our preferences and past behaviors. But while a restaurant tip or two is handy, how comfortable would you be if AI-algorithms were in charge of your medical expert or new hire?
Now, a new study from the University of South Australia shows that most people are more likely to trust AI in situations where the stakes are low, such as music suggestions, but less likely to trust AI in high-stakes situations, such as medical decisions.
However, those with poor statistical literacy or little familiarity with AI were just as likely to trust algorithms for trivial choices as they were for critical decisions.
The study is published in the journal Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence.
Assessing responses from nearly 2,000 participants across 20 countries, researchers found that statistical literacy affects trust differently. People who understand that AI-algorithms work through pattern-based predictions (but also have risks and biases) were more skeptical of AI in high-stakes situations, but less so in low-stakes situations.
They also found that older people and men were generally more cautious of algorithms, as were people in highly industrialized nations like Japan, the US, and the UK.
Understanding how and when people trust AI-algorithms is essential, particularly as society continues to introduce and adopt machine-learning technologies. AI adoption rates have increased dramatically, with 72% of organizations now using AI in their business.
Lead author and human and artificial cognition expert Dr. Fernando Marmolejo-Ramos says the speed at which smart technologies are being used to outsource decisions is outpacing our understanding to successfully integrate them into society.
“Algorithms are becoming increasingly influential in our lives, impacting everything from minor choices about music or food, to major decisions about finances, health care, and even justice,” Dr. Marmolejo-Ramos says.
“But the use of algorithms to help make decisions implies that there should be some confidence in their reliability. That’s why it’s so important to understand what influences people’s trust in algorithmic decision-making. Our research found that in low-stakes scenarios, such as restaurant recommendations or music selection, people with higher levels of statistical literacy were more likely to trust algorithms.
“Yet, when the stakes were high, for things like health or employment, the opposite was true; those with better statistical understanding were less likely to place their faith in algorithms.”
UniSA’s Dr. Florence Gabriel says there should be a concentrated effort to promote statistical and AI literacy among the general population so that people can better judge when to trust algorithmic decisions.
“An AI-generated algorithm is only as good as the data and coding that it’s based on,” Dr. Gabriel says. “We only need to look at the recent banning of DeepSeek to grasp how algorithms can produce biased or risky data depending on the content that it was built upon.
“On the flip side, when an algorithm has been developed through a trusted and transparent source, such as the custom-build EdChat chatbot for South Australian schools, it’s more easily trusted. Learning these distinctions is important. People need to know more about how algorithms work, and we need to find ways to deliver this in clear, simple ways that are relevant to the user’s needs and concerns.
“People care about what the algorithm does and how it affects them. We need clear, jargon-free explanations that align with the user’s concerns and context. That way we can help people to responsibly engage with AI.”
More information: Fernando Marmolejo-Ramos et al, Factors influencing trust in algorithmic decision-making: an indirect scenario-based experiment, Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence (2025). DOI: 10.3389/frai.2024.1465605

News
3D-printed implant offers a potential new route to repair spinal cord injuries
A research team at RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences has developed a 3-D printed implant to deliver electrical stimulation to injured areas of the spinal cord, offering a potential new route to [...]
Nanocrystals Carrying Radioisotopes Offer New Hope for Cancer Treatment
The Science Scientists have developed tiny nanocrystal particles made up of isotopes of the elements lanthanum, vanadium, and oxygen for use in treating cancer. These crystals are smaller than many microbes and can carry isotopes of [...]
New Once-a-Week Shot Promises Life-Changing Relief for Parkinson’s Patients
A once-a-week shot from Australian scientists could spare people with Parkinson’s the grind of taking pills several times a day. The tiny, biodegradable gel sits under the skin and releases steady doses of two [...]
Weekly injectable drug offers hope for Parkinson’s patients
A new weekly injectable drug could transform the lives of more than eight million people living with Parkinson's disease, potentially replacing the need for multiple daily tablets. Scientists from the University of South Australia [...]
Most Plastic in the Ocean Is Invisible—And Deadly
Nanoplastics—particles smaller than a human hair—can pass through cell walls and enter the food web. New research suggest 27 million metric tons of nanoplastics are spread across just the top layer of the North [...]
Repurposed drugs could calm the immune system’s response to nanomedicine
An international study led by researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus has identified a promising strategy to enhance the safety of nanomedicines, advanced therapies often used in cancer and vaccine treatments, [...]
Nano-Enhanced Hydrogel Strategies for Cartilage Repair
A recent article in Engineering describes the development of a protein-based nanocomposite hydrogel designed to deliver two therapeutic agents—dexamethasone (Dex) and kartogenin (KGN)—to support cartilage repair. The hydrogel is engineered to modulate immune responses and promote [...]
New Cancer Drug Blocks Tumors Without Debilitating Side Effects
A new drug targets RAS-PI3Kα pathways without harmful side effects. It was developed using high-performance computing and AI. A new cancer drug candidate, developed through a collaboration between Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), BridgeBio Oncology [...]
Scientists Are Pretty Close to Replicating the First Thing That Ever Lived
For 400 million years, a leading hypothesis claims, Earth was an “RNA World,” meaning that life must’ve first replicated from RNA before the arrival of proteins and DNA. Unfortunately, scientists have failed to find [...]
Why ‘Peniaphobia’ Is Exploding Among Young People (And Why We Should Be Concerned)
An insidious illness is taking hold among a growing proportion of young people. Little known to the general public, peniaphobia—the fear of becoming poor—is gaining ground among teens and young adults. Discover the causes [...]
Team finds flawed data in recent study relevant to coronavirus antiviral development
The COVID pandemic illustrated how urgently we need antiviral medications capable of treating coronavirus infections. To aid this effort, researchers quickly homed in on part of SARS-CoV-2's molecular structure known as the NiRAN domain—an [...]
Drug-Coated Neural Implants Reduce Immune Rejection
Summary: A new study shows that coating neural prosthetic implants with the anti-inflammatory drug dexamethasone helps reduce the body’s immune response and scar tissue formation. This strategy enhances the long-term performance and stability of electrodes [...]
Scientists discover cancer-fighting bacteria that ‘soak up’ forever chemicals in the body
A family of healthy bacteria may help 'soak up' toxic forever chemicals in the body, warding off their cancerous effects. Forever chemicals, also known as PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), are toxic chemicals that [...]
Johns Hopkins Researchers Uncover a New Way To Kill Cancer Cells
A new study reveals that blocking ribosomal RNA production rewires cancer cell behavior and could help treat genetically unstable tumors. Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center and the Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular [...]
AI matches doctors in mapping lung tumors for radiation therapy
In radiation therapy, precision can save lives. Oncologists must carefully map the size and location of a tumor before delivering high-dose radiation to destroy cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue. But this process, called [...]
Scientists Finally “See” Key Protein That Controls Inflammation
Researchers used advanced microscopy to uncover important protein structures. For the first time, two important protein structures in the human body are being visualized, thanks in part to cutting-edge technology at the University of [...]