Globally, trust in AI firms has dropped to 53 percent, down from 61 percent five years ago. In the US, trust has dropped 15 percentage points (from 50 percent to 35 percent) over the same period. Trust in AI is low across political lines. Democrats' trust in AI firms is 38 percent, independents' trust is 25 percent, and Republicans' trust is 24 percent.

Tech is losing its lead as the most trusted sector. Eight years ago, technology was the leading industry in trust in 90 per cent of the countries Edelman studies. Today, it is the most trusted in only half of countries.

People in developing countries are more likely to embrace AI than developed ones. Edelman said respondents in France, Canada, Ireland, the UK, the US, Germany, Australia, the Netherlands, and Sweden reject the growing use of AI by a three-to-one margin.

By contrast, acceptance outpaces resistance by a wide margin in developing markets such as Saudi Arabia, India, China, Kenya, Nigeria, and Thailand.

Edelman global technology chair Justin Westcott said,  "When it comes to AI regulation, the public's response is pretty clear: 'What regulation?' There's a clear and urgent call for regulators to meet the public's expectations head-on."