Explainable AI and trust: How news media shapes public support for AI-powered autonomous passenger drones

Area of Science:

• Human-Computer Interaction
• Artificial Intelligence Ethics
• Media Studies

Background:

• Public perception of artificial intelligence (AI) is crucial for the adoption of emerging technologies like autonomous passenger drones.
• Understanding the factors influencing public trust in AI, such as media coverage and perceived explainability, is essential.
• The role of news media in shaping public understanding and acceptance of complex technologies requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the relationships between attention to AI in news media, perceived AI explainability, and trust in AI.
• To investigate how these factors influence public support for autonomous passenger drones.
• To determine the specific dimensions of AI trust that are relevant to public acceptance of autonomous drone technology.

Main Methods:

• Structural equation modeling was employed to analyze data from a survey of 1,002 participants.
• The study measured attention to AI in news, perceived AI explainability, multiple dimensions of AI trust (performance, purpose, process), and support for autonomous passenger drones.
• Statistical analysis identified significant pathways and associations between the measured variables.

Main Results:

• Perceived AI explainability was significantly associated with all dimensions of AI trust (performance, purpose, process).
• Attention to AI in news media positively influenced the public's perception of AI explainability.
• Public support for autonomous passenger drones was primarily influenced by trust in AI performance, mediated by perceived explainability and media attention.

Conclusions:

• News media plays a critical role in shaping public perceptions of AI explainability, thereby influencing trust in AI.
• Ensuring AI explainability is vital for building public trust, particularly for the acceptance of advanced AI applications like autonomous drones.
• Future research and development of AI technologies should consider the impact of media narratives and the need for transparent, explainable AI systems.