Important questions concerning citizen trust in artificial intelligence (AI) systems have been raised by their rapid development and widespread application throughout various social and economic activities. Trust in AI has become a crucial element determining the level of its societal acceptance along with a series of interconnected factors. This study aims to investigate the factors influencing trust in AI, the social implications of such trust and distrust, as well as the perception of and readiness to accept AI within Croatian society. Conducted on a sample of 500 respondents in the Republic of Croatia, the research sought to examine the frequency of AI tool usage, the level of trust in AI, and the citizens’ readiness to accept it in everyday and professional contexts. The results indicate an overall moderate level of trust in AI, characterized by a prevailing cautious optimism. Most respondents recognize the benefits of AI in various life situations, while also expressing pronounced caution and selective acceptance of certain forms of its application. Simultaneously, they voice concerns regarding ethical dilemmas. The analysis shows that trust in AI is significantly correlated with the frequency of AI tool usage and the level of digital literacy, suggesting that personal experience and understanding of the technology positively influence the perception of its reliability. Within the Croatian context, a key remaining challenge relates to raising the level of public awareness and building a transparent system for AI application based on ethical standards and social responsibility.
Bara et al. (Thu,) studied this question.