'Trust is not keeping pace with technological capability': New study finds people are becoming more accepting of AI - but don't want to hand over full control just yet

AI is no longer limited by capability

by · TechRadar

News By Craig Hale published 6 May 2026

(Image credit: Getty Images)

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  • Only 14% of UK consumers say they would trust autonomous AI agents
  • Control, accountability and transparency would help generate more trust
  • Companies also need to consider upgrading identity and permissions for stronger governance

New findings from EY have claimed three in four (74%) UK consumers have used AI in the past six months, quantifying the widespread mainstream adoption -however only 14% said they'd feel comfortable relying on fully autonomous, agentic-style artificial intelligence.

With such low confidence, the study shows a growing confidence gap between what AI's actually capable of and what users are comfortable with, implicating that capability is no longer AI's limiting factor.

Deepening its research into the topic, EY found users are also demanding greater control, accountability and transparency from their tools.

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Confidence gap shows trust is AI's limiting factor

The data shows security and privacy are big concerns for users, as only around two in five trust companies (43%) or governments (41%) to manage their AI data effectively, and three-quarters (73%) get worried over AI systems being hacked or breached.

"As AI systems become more autonomous, trust must be embedded through strong data foundations, clear accountability and visible human oversight," EY UK&I Leader Matthew Ringelheim explained.

At the same time, separate Ping Identity research also shows how identity and governance systems that were previously designed for humans are now struggling to keep up with the demands of autonomous AI.

The study reveals AI agents can combine permissions in unintended ways to potentially bypass controls within governance blind spots.

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