The digital world's obsession with AI is backfiring—and brands are about to learn a painful lesson about trust.
According to a new survey from WordPress VIP, 60% of US consumers say that brands using AI in their messaging are a turnoff. Worse, 86% don't fully trust AI-generated answers and would rather dig into original sources themselves.
Nearly half of consumers (42%) said AI-generated answers without clear attribution are now trusted less than airline fees, confusing privacy policies, and medical bills. AI answers rank lower than hospital billing statements.
"People used to build websites for other people," WordPress VIP's Brian Alvey said. "Now you have to build websites for AI agents acting on behalf of those people. If your content doesn't feel human and trustworthy, they won't come back." Authenticity is back in business.
The survey of 2,000 respondents—including 800 enterprise decision-makers and 1,200 everyday Americans—shows a stark picture. Nearly three in four said the internet feels less human than it did a decade ago.
While consumers pull back, brands are doubling down. Sixty percent of enterprise decision-makers reported increased traffic from AI search engines over the past year, and 74% said AI discoverability is a main priority. They're chasing the algorithm while audiences seek humanity.
One-third of consumers still trust clickthrough links to original sources most, and 80% believe web information should stay openly accessible—not locked behind corporate gatekeepers.
Brands racing to game AI search results need to remember that actual humans are still doing the clicking. Right now, those humans are skeptical and craving the real deal.
