AI competency and trustworthiness must come together

1. Market research says CMOs lack AI proficiency

• 81% of survey participants think marketers exaggerate their AI proficiency. Another 47% believe senior leadership is behind compared to other employees in AI understanding. – NewtonX
  
  
• Only 15% of CEOs believe their CMOs possess sufficient AI competency. – Gartner
  
  
• AI literacy is critical to reputation management. The C-suite cannot afford to promote false proficiency and must understand the technology as they communicate to customers, employees, and stakeholders.

2. AI creates a trust gap for brands

• Research from Meltwater and YouGov indicates a growing AI trust gap for consumers as AI-generated content becomes more accessible.
  
  
• 6 in 10 Americans do not trust American companies to develop and use AI responsibly, according to Pew Research Center, and 67% said they have little to no confidence in the government to regulate AI adequately.
  
  
• Companies should make trust tangible as they integrate AI into their communications strategies. Human oversight, credible third-party validation, and transparency must work together to build trust.

3. 60-second close: AI competency and trust must unite

• To build brand trustworthiness in the age of AI, the entire team must be on board, including the C-suite. Without AI proficiency, CMOs and CEOs will quickly fall behind.
  
  
• Bridging the brand trust gap with competency requires strategy and adaptability. Customers respond well to transparency, verifiable earned media, and responsible sourcing — not generic AI slop.
  
  
• In the era of extreme scrutiny and AI search, you need a PR partner you can trust to protect your reputation. That’s where Axia Public Relations comes in. Ask me how we can assist you.

Photo by Pixabay from Pexels