Do We Trust ChatGPT as much as Google Search and Wikipedia?

Although studies, audits, and anecdotal observations have shown that information generated by ChatGPT is not always accurate, many users tend to show unwarranted trust in this new source. Do they consider ChatGPT to be like any other online information source such as Google and Wikipedia, without realizing that generative AI technology creates content that is not necessarily based on facts? Why do they trust information from ChatGPT? Understanding how users perceive content from generative AI tools is crucial because it can help reduce unwarranted trust in inaccurate information and mitigate the spread of misinformation. A focus group and interview study (N=14) revealed that thankfully not all users trust ChatGPT-generated information as much as Google Search and Wikipedia. It also shed light on the primary psychological considerations when trusting an online information source, namely perceived gatekeeping, and perceived information completeness. In addition, technological affordances such as interactivity and crowdsourcing were also found to be important for trust formation. We discuss theoretical and practical implications for design of generative AI interfaces.