Two landmark global studies published this month reveal something the AI industry is not yet ready to hear. Public trust in AI is falling in the markets that matter most, and the information environment through which people form their opinions about it is in crisis. This is not a communications problem. It is a strategic one. Julio Romo draws on data from the Ipsos AI Monitor 2026 and the Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2026 to examine what the signals mean for AI companies, governments, and investors, and why tactical communications is making the trust deficit worse, not better.

In a House of Lords inquiry, Dr Mhairi Aitken (Alan Turing Institute) and Professor Sander van der Linden (University of Cambridge) warned that AI-driven misinformation—seen by 40% of UK adults—undermines trust and reputation. They called for leaders to strengthen regulation, media literacy, and partnerships with tech platforms to uphold credibility.