Observed Signal · Apr 20, 2026 · Research Report · Source: https://martechseries.com/feed/ · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Negative
Amplitude Study: Generational AI Trust Gap in Australia
Amplitude, Inc. published research showing a pronounced generational divide in trust and workplace use of AI among Australian professionals. Younger workers (18–24) are far more likely to use and trust AI tools — 39% use AI daily and 31% trust AI recommendations over their own judgment — while older workers (55–64) report far lower usage and trust (20% daily use; 4% trust AI over their judgment). The study finds limited organizational AI maturity (only 8% say their organisation is AI-driven), modest self-assessed AI skill levels (6% highly skilled), and a mean workplace trust score for AI outputs of 2.59/5. Amplitude warns the generational trust gap, especially among senior decision-makers, could cap AI adoption and worsen Australia’s AI skills shortage unless leadership provides clearer strategic guidance and frameworks.
The report highlights a measurable generational trust and skills gap that could slow AI adoption and workforce capability development in marketing and analytics functions; relevant to MarTech and analytics vendors but not immediately industry-shifting.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Research by Amplitude, Inc. finds only 4% of workers aged 55–64 trust AI recommendations over their own judgement, versus 31% of 18–24 year olds.
- 39% of respondents aged 18–24 use AI tools daily at work, compared with 20% of those aged 55–64.
- Overall AI workplace frequency: 27% use AI daily, 33% a few times a week, 24% occasionally, and 15% not at all.
- Only 8% of respondents say their organisation is AI-driven; mean trust score for AI outputs at work is 2.59 out of 5.
- Self-assessed AI skill levels are low: 33% identify as beginners or not skilled, 34% as somewhat skilled, and 6% as highly skilled.
Connected Companies & Entities
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More AI Users, Less Trust: The AI Paradox
A t3n report synthesizes Pew Research Center survey data and an AI impact analysis. AI adoption is unprecedented: 49% of U.S. adults regularly use AI tools (up from 33% in 2024), with ChatGPT leading (44%), followed by Gemini and Copilot. However, daily work usage is only 10-25%, and fewer than 3% of households pay for AI subscriptions. Public distrust is high: only 16% expect positive societal impact, 40% foresee negative effects, and 71% believe AI compromises data security. Concurrently, AI infrastructure spending is the largest since 19th-century railroads, with external AI revenue around $280 billion annualized. Yet, top businesses are cutting spending, Anthropic's ARR plateaus at $75 billion, and OpenAI's at $50 billion, raising bubble concerns.
Prophet study: AI demand rises while consumer trust falls
Prophet’s second edition of 'The AI-Powered Consumer' surveyed over 2,000 consumers across the UK, US, Germany, China and Singapore to track attitudes to Generative AI from 2024 to 2026. The study finds a 28% increase in AI usage but declining optimism (down 13 points) and falling trust in brands deploying AI (down 11 points). Consumers want AI to automate decisions (53%) and negotiate for them (49%), yet remain anxious about loss of human connection and skills. The findings show major generational and geographic variation — Gen Z in the US is more worried about brand AI use than Boomers, and China leads other markets on adoption and acceptance. The report frames this as a “demand vs trust” paradox marketers must solve.
Gen Z Losing Trust in AI
A Gallup survey of 1,572 people aged 14–29 (fielded with the Walton Family Foundation) finds that Generation Z’s optimism about generative AI has declined noticeably between 2025 and 2026. More than half (51%) use generative AI at least weekly and 22% use it daily, but reported enthusiasm fell from 36% in 2025 to 22% in 2026, while the share expressing hope fell from 27% to 18% and those reporting anger rose from 22% to 31%. Many respondents doubt AI’s benefits for creativity, critical thinking, learning and workplace trust. The article links part of this shift to worsening early‑career labor market conditions (Stepstone and Kickresume analyses) and cites OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s observation that some young adults consult ChatGPT before important decisions.
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