DRCF publishes consumer AI attitudes report

A new report by the Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum (DRCF) has found that even consumers with extensive experience using artificial intelligence (AI) and high levels of technical knowledge remain vulnerable to harm.

Analysing literature alongside industry and consumer group submissions, the DRCF research notes that while users recognise benefits such as time and cost savings, AI introduces novel risks including hallucinations, manipulative personalisation, as well as risks tied to autonomous agentic systems. Importantly, the report finds that frequent AI use does not equate to informed trust; technically literate individuals can still be harmed under financial pressure or emotional stress, while consumers often assume unregulated AI financial or debt advice is legally protected.

The report also highlights heightened risks for young people from anthropomorphic, artificially empathic designs that foster misplaced trust, and observes that financially vulnerable users are more willing to adopt AI despite lower trust among women and older demographics.

To build trust, the DRCF stresses the need for meaningful human oversight, transparency, opt-out controls, responsible data practices, and distributed accountability across the AI value chain with accessible routes to redress.

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