Suspicious of Artificial Intelligence

Extensive theoretical and empirical work has enabled the human-AI interaction (HAII) research community to understand what factors lead people to trust AI. In current research, trust in Artificial Intelligence (AI) is strongly encouraged because the benefits of trusting are often overemphasized. This bias toward optimism comes at the expense of a more balanced and complete perspective on the nature and effects of trust, because it is also important to consider the so-called “dark side”. Much less effort is devoted to developing a clear understanding of mistrust and distrust, even though research has already shown that AI is also used for harmful and criminal activities.

The topic of mistrust and distrust in AI is sparsely explored in the specific context of HAII. The proposed Suspicious of Artificial Intelligence (SUSAI) project aims to fill this research gap by investigating why people are unwilling to trust AI by focusing on the broader notion of mistrust. Using the methods of a literature review and expert interviews, the SUSAI project intends to develop a conceptual model of mistrust in AI applicable to everyday life HAII contexts.


Team Members

Alice Chumova

Alice Chumova
Student Assistant

Alice holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of Malta and she is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Human-Computer Interaction at the University of Salzburg. Her research interests includes mistrust in AI, user-centered design, and human-AI interaction.

Linda Schmidt

Linda Schmidt
Student Assistant

Linda is currently completing her bachelor's degree in Computer Science and in Psychology at the University of Salzburg. Her research interests include Human-AI Interaction, trust in AI, bias and fairness, and the intersection of technology and psychology.

Gabriela Beltrão

Gabriela Beltrão
Collaborator

Gabriela is a Junior Research Fellow and a PhD candidate at the School of Digital Technologies, Tallinn University. She holds a master's degree in Human-Computer Interaction and in Arts, Culture, and Society. Her research examines how cultural backgrounds shape trust in technology by drawing on theory and approaches from human-computer interaction and the social sciences.

Find more information on Gabriela's Website.

Julia Paramonova

Julia Paramonova
Collaborator

Julia Paramonova is a PhD candidate and a Junior Researcher at the School of Digital Technologies, Tallinn University. She holds a Master's degree in Computer Science and Engineering with a specialization in Human-Computer Interaction. Her research focuses on developing and applying innovative research and design methodologies to build trustworthy interactive systems that support appropriate trust perception.

Julia is happy to connect via LinkedIn.

Glenda Hannibal

Dr. Glenda Hannibal
Principal Investigator

Glenda is a Postdosctoral Researcher in the EXDIGIT project at the University of Salzburg. She holds a Doctorate in Computer Science from TU Wien whith her dissertation on interpersonal trust in human-robot interaction. Her research uncover the intersections of trust, explnations, authenticity, understanding, and vulnerability in everyday human-AI interaction.


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