Amidst all the AI excitement, one reality check we continue to raise is how the technology is held back by trust issues. Yes, AI is effective and impressive… but that doesn’t mean much if users don’t trust it en masse. These AI trust issues were quantified this week by a new study from Yelp.

Produced in partnership with Morning Consult, Yelp’s survey research uncovers a classic trust gap around AI’s ability to find information, especially local info. Specifically, only 15 percent of survey respondents trust AI search engines “a lot.” The other 75 percent have varying degrees of doubt.

For example, 63 percent say that they double-check AI search results against other trusted sources like news platforms or review websites. Meanwhile, 51 percent of respondents say that AI results feel like a “walled garden” that makes it difficult to verify the information. This speaks to a UX issue for AI engines.

When asking consumers what they need to boost their trust and close the gap, 72 percent say that sources and citations in AI results are critical. Similarly, 69 percent say that they want the option to do their own research by leaving AI platforms and visiting trusted sites for more information.

As for trusted sources of validation, authentic human content is specifically named. This bodes well for Yelp, given that its entire UX is based on local voices and sentiment around local businesses. In fact, when looking at the companies that stand up to AI’s trust issues, Yelp is near the top of the list.

“The platforms that close this trust gap won’t be the ones building walled gardens,” Yelp Chief Product Officer Craig Saldanha told Localogy Insider, “but the ones that bridge consumers to authentic human content, a rising tide that lifts all boats for consumers, content creators, and AI platforms alike.”

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Data Dive

Diving deeper into Yelp’s findings, we extracted strategic takeways, some of which were teased above. here’s the full slate…

Trust Gap

• People are broadly adopting AI platforms, with nearly two out of three respondents (65%) having used an AI-powered search tool in the past six months.

• However, usage hasn’t translated into trust. When it comes to information provided by AI-powered search platforms, only 15% of respondents “trust it a lot.”

• In fact, 63% of respondents say they double-check AI search results against other trusted sources like news websites and review platforms.

• More than half of respondents (51%) say AI results feel like a “walled garden” that makes it hard to verify what they’re reading.

Proof Positive

• 72% say AI platforms should always show where their information comes from.

• 69% say they want the option to do their own research by leaving AI platforms and visiting trusted sites for more information.

• 66% want more proof of trusted sources, such as links to news sites or review platforms, when presented information on an AI search platform.

• 52% said seeing visual evidence of the recommendation, like before and after photos of a service or dish photos, would increase their trust.

Local Level

• More than half of respondents (57%) use AI tools to find local businesses at least once a month.

• When using AI tools to find local businesses, consumers were clear about what matters most:

  • 76% say it is important to see where the information comes from

  • 76% say seeing multiple reliable sources of information is important

  • 73% say ratings and reviews from real customers are important

• Nearly two-thirds of respondents (65%) say being able to take action, such as making a reservation or booking a service, on trusted platforms is important when using AI tools for local discovery.

The Gen-Z Effect

• 84% of Gen Z has used an AI search platform in the past six months and 60% are using them to find local businesses at least once a month.

• 72% say AI platforms should provide more proof of trusted sources (vs. 63% of Millennials, 59% of Gen X, and 69% of Baby Boomers).

• 61% say seeing quotes or excerpts from verified user reviews would increase their trust (vs. 54% of Millennials, 47% of Gen X, and 46% of Baby Boomers).

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Problem Worth Solving

So there you have it. We can put a number next to AI’s trust gap. The question is if that gap closes over time through acclimation. That could be the case if AI can achieve a level of performance that exceeds its hallucination-prone behavior today. Until then, the technology will continue to have detractors.

“This research makes clear that AI search adoption is outpacing trust, and that’s a problem worth solving,” said Saldanha. “Consumers told us they want transparency: authentic ratings and reviews, credible citations, and clear links to trusted sources so they can verify and take action with confidence.”