China’s Public Shows Unprecedented Trust in AI — Far Surpassing Western Counterparts
A recent Edelman survey reveals a stark global divide: while 87% of Chinese respondents say they trust artificial intelligence, trust levels in Western countries like the U.S., UK, and Germany languish below 40%.
In a striking display of confidence, the Chinese public is reportedly far more trusting of artificial intelligence (AI) than their Western peers — a major shift in global sentiment with implications for how AI is adopted, regulated, and developed.
Here’s what the numbers say:
- According to the Edelman poll cited by Tech in Asia, 87% of Chinese respondents trust AI, compared to just 32% in the U.S., 36% in the U.K., and 39% in Germany. (Tech in Asia)
- Over 70% of participants in China said they expect AI to help tackle societal challenges: from climate change to mental illness, poverty, and political polarization. (Tech in Asia)
- When it comes to embracing AI more broadly, 54% of Chinese say they welcome greater use of the technology — remarkably higher than the mere 17% in the U.S. (Al Jazeera)
- The youth skew especially positive: 88% of Chinese aged 18–34 say they trust AI, while in the U.S., only 40% in that same age bracket report similar confidence. (Al Jazeera)
What’s Driving This Trust Gap?
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Optimism Meets Utility In China, AI isn’t just a futuristic trend — it’s increasingly woven into daily life and seen as a force for social good. The high expectations for AI to address real-world problems help sustain public optimism.
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Youth-Led Momentum Younger generations in China are particularly bullish on AI, shaping a culture of technological acceptance early on. This contrasts starkly with their Western counterparts, who appear more cautious.
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Strategic Tech Ecosystem China’s AI ecosystem — from open language models to affordable applications — seems to resonate strongly at home. The competitive edge in cost, accessibility, and government support may be reinforcing trust. (HICGI News Agency)
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Regulatory and Governance Challenge Edelman’s Gray Grossman notes a “double challenge” for businesses and policymakers: in high-trust markets like China, they must deliver clear benefits responsibly; in lower-trust markets, they face the uphill task of rebuilding confidence. (HICGI News Agency)
Why This Matters
- Tech Supremacy in Focus: As China and the U.S. continue their race for AI dominance, widespread public trust in China could accelerate domestic deployment and innovation — giving Beijing a soft-power edge.
- Regulatory Signals: High public trust may make stricter AI regulation both more necessary and more palatable in China, but also harder to enforce if enthusiasm outpaces governance.
- Cultural and Economic Divide: The trust gap underscores deeper cultural and economic divides in how societies view and adopt technology — meaning global AI governance efforts may need to be more nuanced than ever.
Glossary:
- Edelman Trust Barometer: A long-running global survey by public relations firm Edelman, measuring trust in institutions, technologies, and industries.
- Artificial Intelligence (AI): Technologies that enable machines to perform tasks that typically require human intelligence, such as learning, reasoning, or language understanding.
- Open Language Models: AI systems (like large language models) that are more accessible, often cheaper to use, and sometimes open-source, lowering barriers for broader adoption.
Source: [Tech in Asia: China trusts AI more than Western countries — survey] (https://www.techinasia.com/news/china-trusts-ai-western-countries-survey)
