People don't trust AI, but 70% still don't regularly check its answers before using them
New F-Secure survey of US and UK consumers finds many AI users rarely verify answers, even when using it to make high-stakes decisions
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly 90% of AI users say it's their responsibility to verify the answers AI gives them, but 70% still only check sometimes, rarely, or never do. As people move from asking AI casual questions to trusting it with personal decisions about health, finances, and relationships, F-Secure's new consumer survey reveals a growing gap between people's awareness of the risks and how they actually use these tools.
The risks aren't theoretical; they're already showing up in how people use tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini. Ironically, the people most exposed to AI's mistakes are often the ones doing the least to catch them. F-Secure's survey of 1,500 AI users in the US and UK digs into why (and what it's costing them). Among the findings:
- Nearly half (47.3%) of AI users say they stop questioning an answer if it sounds right. That's more than twice as common as any other reason given for not verifying a response.
- One in four (25.2%) have followed AI advice on a major real-life decision. Proof that users aren't just casually using chatbots for casual questions or hypothetical scenarios.
- More than one-third (35.3%) have used AI to fact-check AI. Asking another AI chatbot to verify an answer can give people a false sense that they've independently checked it, when they're really just asking AI to check its own work.
- Frequent AI use is associated with a lower bar for accepting answers. Among people who use AI for many different types of tasks, 59.7% accepted answers without further verification, compared with 28.6% among those who only use AI for low-stakes questions.
- Non-users want protection from AI-related risks before considering using them. Among people who don't currently use AI chatbots, 46.1% said detecting AI-generated scams or manipulation would be the feature most likely to change their mind into using it, and 45% say their priority is AI preventing their data from being stored or shared.
The findings are clear: Users don't really trust AI, but they still regularly use its answers without checking them first – despite saying they're concerned about inaccuracy. And 83.9% of respondents have multiple concerns about AI, but still use it at least weekly.
"I don't think the fix is asking people to be more careful. Users already believe checking the accuracy of the content is somewhat their responsibility," said Amel Bourdocen, Senior User Researcher at F-Secure. "That responsibility sits with the people building these tools, not the people using them. A system that can sound confident regardless of whether it's right should be the one required to show its uncertainty, not the user."
Full survey results and methodology are available on the Illuminate Research Hub.
To learn how F-Secure is helping close the AI trust gap, read the announcement on F-Secure Trust.
About F-Secure
F-Secure is a human-first, AI-powered consumer cyber security experience company with 38 years of expertise in tackling digital threats. We help digital service providers turn trust into a high-value growth engine — protecting their customers while enabling them to live their best digital lives in a world of relentless, AI-driven scams. With billions of digital interactions secured each year, tens of millions of consumers protected globally, and over $10bn in partner value created, we deliver proven impact at scale.
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SOURCE F-Secure
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