"Do you think a person's age influences their trust in Ai systems?"

I'm 36, and I've witnessed the incredible evolution of technology—from the early days of modern computers and the transition from dial-up to WiFi, to today's rapid innovations. I even remember my father sharing stories about the birth of radios, TVs, and other marvels of his time.

Every technological revolution brings its believers and its skeptics, yet history shows that only one group stands the test of time. The recent Canadian survey on AI trust and adoption is another reminder of how our generational views shape what we see as progress versus what becomes obsolete.

Personally, I look forward to the day when I might deem a new technology just another fad. But, having grown accustomed to rapid change, I tend to accept evolving tech as the norm. In fact, systems that fail to adapt are naturally filtered out in the ever-changing world of technology.

Below, you'll find examples of common AI skeptic arguments alongside similar critiques from past technological revolutions. At the bottom, there's a brief summary of the Canadian survey, which highlights that young people—especially young men—are adopting AI faster than other groups.

To me, this trend clearly indicates that AI is here to stay and will increasingly integrate into our daily lives and organizational operations. Skeptics, eventually, may find themselves embracing this inevitable shift.

I'm truly excited to be living through such a transformative time and to witness firsthand the unfolding journey of human progress. And I know that more Canadians will join this frontier as our productivity in this country is plummeting at a rapid pace. AI is increasingly becoming the only solution.

Comparing AI Skeptics to Internet Skeptics to Telephone Skeptics to....

AI Skeptics

"The AI machine gave me the wrong answer - it's broken!"

"That response is not 100% perfect - let's throw out the whole ChatGPT."

"AI information is fake. It's being used to trick us."

The Internet

"My online search returned the wrong result—this internet is broken!"

"If one webpage isn't 100% accurate, then the entire internet must be unreliable."

"Online content is full of fake news and misinformation—it's clearly designed to trick us."

Telephone

"I got the wrong number on my call—this telephone system is broken!"

"If one call has issues, why trust the entire telephone network?"

"Telephone conversations often lead to misunderstandings—it’s just another way to spread misinformation."

Printing Press

"That printed book has errors—so the printing press must be flawed!"

"If one printed page isn't perfect, then all printed material is unreliable."

"Printed texts can be manipulated and misinterpreted—it's just a tool to deceive us."

It's very obvious that each skeptic did not last the test of time. Hell, the technologies that these skeptics were reluctant to adopt eventually end up being replaced by something superior.

Every time...

So If your team is still trying to figure out how to implement AI within your organisation, while minimizing hallucinations or 'errors' as the not so familiar will call them, feel free to schedule a discovery call with us.

There are now millions of use cases across all industries and sectors, it's just a matter of aligning those use cases, and tools, with your vision. While also engineering prompts in a way that generates consistent quality responses.

We are here to help.

Alex, Peak Demand

alex@peakdemand.ca

TEXT/CALL +1 (647) 691-0082 to chat with Peak Demand assistant, Sasha.

or

Email to sasha@info.peakdemand.ca

A summary of the article is included below.

Original Article: Over a quarter of Canadians think AI is trustworthy: survey

Link to Original Article: https://mobilesyrup.com/2025/02/25/quarter-canadians-trust-ai-survey/

Summary: A recent survey by Proof Strategies found that only 28% of Canadians consider AI systems like ChatGPT to be trustworthy. The study revealed that trust is highest among Gen Z—particularly young men—with 66% of Gen Z using AI for personal needs, and Millennials close behind at 55% usage. Interestingly, half of university-educated respondents believe AI could have a positive economic impact, while 43% of Canadians worry that AI might actually diminish the trustworthiness of information. Despite the optimism from some segments, the inherent unreliability of generative AI—known for occasional errors and fabrications—remains a significant concern. The survey, which gathered responses from 1,515 Canadians to ensure a representative sample, underscores the generational divide in perceptions of technology and highlights the mixed sentiments regarding AI's role in society.

Key Takeaways

1. Limited Overall Trust: Only 28% of Canadians believe AI systems, like ChatGPT, are trustworthy.

2. Gen Z Leads the Trust: Trust in AI is highest among Gen Z, particularly young men, with more than half expressing high confidence.

3. Millennial Confidence: About 45% of Millennials share a positive view of AI’s potential.

4. Educational Influence: University-educated Canadians are more inclined to trust AI, with half of them believing in its positive economic impact.

5. Skepticism Remains: Despite the trust, 43% of respondents worry that AI may make information less reliable.

6. Mixed Economic Views: Roughly one in three Canadians sees AI as a beneficial force for the economy.

7. Usage Patterns: AI is used regularly or occasionally by 66% of Gen Z and 55% of Millennials, with lower adoption among older generations.

8. Reliability Concerns: The inherent unreliability of generative AI—often prone to errors and misinformation—remains a major concern.

9. Survey Integrity: The survey, conducted by Proof Strategies via The Logit Group, sampled 1,515 Canadians to ensure representativeness across regions, age, and gender.

10. Real-World AI Failures: High-profile errors, such as Google’s glue-on-pizza incident and Microsoft’s controversial AI outputs, underscore the risks of over-reliance on AI.