Cisco found a significant disconnect in AI data privacy perceptions between organizations and consumers based on the results from its "2023 Data Privacy Benchmark Study" and "2022 Consumer Privacy Survey."

For the Consumer Privacy Survey, respondents included 2,600 adults from 12 countries. It found 60% of consumers are concerned about current artificial intelligence (AI) use and applications by organizations, while 65% already have lost trust in organizations due to their AI practices.

The survey also showed 76% of the respondents wanted an opportunity to opt out of AI use by applications, while a similar 75% wanted use governed by an AI ethics management program and humans involved in the decision-making process.

However, Cisco’s Data Privacy Benchmark Study showed decidedly different results. Just 21% of those respondents selected wanting to have an opt-out option for AI use, while more than 60% selected human involvement in the process, an explanation of how AI applications work, and adoption of AI ethics principles. And 53% of those surveyed selected applying an AI ethics management program to identify and reduce unintended bias.

The benchmark report surveyed more than 3,100 security professionals who are familiar with data privacy across 26 geographical areas. It found though almost all (96%) of the respondents said their organizations had processes in place to meet the ethical standards that customers expect for AI-based services, and 92% of them stated their organization should do more to reassure customers about their data.

The report also found that the surveyed organizations believed compliance was the No. 1 priority for building customer trust.

“When it comes to earning and building trust, compliance is not enough,” said Cisco VP and Chief Privacy Officer Harvey Jang in a statement.

The networking giant’s Consumer Privacy Survey results echoed this point, with 39% of the respondents stating transparency was a top priority.

“Transparency is an essential element of trust, and consumers rank transparency as the most important thing organizations can do to build and grow trust when it comes to dealing with their personal data,” the report noted, recommending organizations invest specifically in transparency about how they manage data.