The surge in generative artificial intelligence (AI) usage has been accompanied by growing concern over user attrition due to trust issues and the costs of information verification.

On Thursday, the Korea Information Society Development Institute (KISDI) released a report titled "An Exploratory Study on Factors Influencing the Adoption of Generative AI Services."

The report shows that the continued use of generative AI services hinges on more than just accessibility. Trust, perceived utility, and interaction experiences play crucial roles in user retention. Notably, the costs of verifying information—stemming from errors and hallucinations in AI-generated content—have emerged as a significant factor driving users away, as these expenses often outweigh the perceived benefits of the service.

On the flip side, experiences that mimic human-like emotional connections, such as personalized responses and context-aware conversational interactions, have positively influenced the sustained use of generative AI. Interestingly, some users reported feeling safer with machines, perceiving them as less likely to betray trust compared to humans.

Joo Seong Hee, the KISDI researcher spearheading the study, emphasized the need for user-centric policy design grounded in real-world experiences and perceptions. Joo stressed the importance of fostering a trustworthy AI ecosystem, particularly given that users simultaneously recognize both the potential benefits and the inherent risks of these technologies.

The surge in generative artificial intelligence (AI) usage has been accompanied by growing …

Trust, Errors, And Cost: Why Users Are Walking Away From Generative AI