The Aussie AI paradox: High use, low trust ‘sceptical adopters’
The Aussie AI paradox: High use, low trust ‘sceptical adopters’
Publish Date: 2026-05-01 18:39:00
Source Domain: www.forbes.com.au
Published on
May 2, 2026
While the AI race is fundamentally between the US and China – ranking number 1 and 2 in research – Australia sports the third highest density of AI PhDs globally. But a new study reveals that while we’re big on implementing AI, the trust is not there.
While the AI race is fundamentally between the US and China – ranking number 1 and 2 in research – Australia sports the third highest density of AI PhDs globally. A new Stanford HAI report also reveals that we are big on implementing AI, but low on trusting it. Image: Getty
In 2026, the Australian consumer’s relationship with artificial intelligence is defined by significant use – and minimal trust.
Data from the recently released 2026 Stanford HAI AI Index Report reveals that while nearly half of the nation now utilises generative AI regularly, only 36 per cent say they actually trust the technology. Australians are the sixth most active, intentional users of AI globally, behind Singapore, India, the UAE, Indonesia and Thailand. Our usage grew 12 per cent year over year, the highest anywhere in the world.
And yet, just 36 per cent of Aussies trust AI, according to HAI’s global AI trust rankings. This discrepancy between usage and trust makes us the leading ‘sceptical adopters’ of AI globally.
It is a phenomenon that leading Australian academic Toby Walsh, a contributor to the HAI research, calls a bizarre paradox.
“We are using it to draft our emails, to code our startups, and to manage our schedules. But we are adopting the tools while remaining fundamentally sceptical of the systems,” Walsh said during a briefing at Canberra’s National Press Club.
Third highest concentration of AI PhDs
According to the research, we are third in the world when it comes to AI PhD density, behind the US and China. Half of those AI-focused doctorates were educated and…
