UNDP: China Tops Global Trust in AI

Public trust in artificial intelligence varies sharply across the world, with China emerging as the global leader in AI confidence, according to a recent survey by the United Nations Development Program.

Considering the report, skepticism about AI is widespread in developed nations, while developing countries express much higher levels of trust.

The UNDP survey — one of the largest of its kind — polled over 21,000 respondents across 21 countries, in 36 languages, between November 2024 and January 2025, covering nearly 63% of the world’s population. It explored global perceptions of whether AI serves the best interests of society.

China emerged as the most confident nation, with an overwhelming 83% of respondents expressing trust in AI’s capacity to benefit society.

The trend of strong confidence extended to other developing nations such as Kyrgyzstan, Egypt, India, Nigeria, and Pakistan, where more than 60% of participants voiced positive views on AI.

These countries, notably, do not feature in the UN’s very-high Human Development Index category, suggesting a possible link between a country’s development status and its perception of AI.

In these regions, AI is often seen as a tool to fast-track development, particularly in sectors like healthcare and education, where it promises to bridge longstanding gaps.

In contrast, wealthier nations — the United States, Germany, Australia, and Greece — displayed far lower levels of trust, with only minority support for the idea that AI is working for the common good. This skepticism reflects broader concerns prevalent in developed economies about job displacement, privacy, and the spread of disinformation driven by AI technologies.

An exception among advanced economies was Japan, where 65% of respondents expressed confidence in AI — an unusually high figure compared to other rich nations.