Tether survey finds heavy AI use alongside low trust in providers

Tether said a Kantar survey of more than 5,000 AI users found widespread chatbot adoption paired with weak trust in AI providers, a split that matters for vendors selling cloud-based AI into workplaces and consumer products. The fintech company said 82% of respondents used more than one AI chatbot over the past year, while nearly half said they do not trust current AI companies.

The findings point to a familiar problem for AI companies: usage is rising faster than confidence in how the systems handle user data. Tether said respondents ranked data privacy and collection, accuracy and reliability, and reliance on internet connectivity among their leading concerns.

Most respondents said AI companies should give users more visibility into how data is used and stored, according to Tether. More than half said they want to own data generated through their interactions with AI tools, while only 35% said they were confident their personal data was secure.

Users remain willing to trade privacy for access

The survey also shows that mistrust is not stopping usage. Tether said more than half of respondents would give up some privacy for AI-enabled convenience or provide personal data in exchange for lower-cost AI services.

That contradiction is useful context for founders and operators building in AI infrastructure, enterprise software and consumer assistants. The market is not rejecting AI tools over privacy concerns, according to Tether’s data. Users are continuing to use them while expressing discomfort with the companies that run them and the cloud architecture behind many mainstream products.

Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino said in a press release that users should not have to choose between protecting their data and using new AI tools. He also said the research shows that, without comparable local alternatives, users will still hand over data to get access to AI products.

Tether framed the report as evidence of an opening for local, private AI tools that keep more data on-device. Ardoino said AI options that match the speed and power of current offerings could make the technology more widely used while reducing barriers for cautious users.

Trust differs by market

Tether said attitudes varied by geography. Respondents in the U.S. and U.K. showed more skepticism toward AI and stronger concern about privacy for health and medical data. Users in India and Nigeria were more optimistic, according to the company, and showed more interest in AI functions that work across devices.

The survey summary did not disclose country-level sample sizes, margin of error or a full breakdown of chatbot usage by platform. It also did not name the AI companies respondents trusted or distrusted. Those omissions limit how far vendors should take the findings when applying them to enterprise buying behavior.

Still, the broad signal is clear enough for AI sellers: adoption alone is a weak proxy for trust. If users are already bringing chatbots into research, problem-solving and personal advice, data controls and transparency are no longer back-office compliance features. They are part of the product pitch.

This story draws on original reporting from CIO Dive.