# Few feel highly confident judging AI for accuracy

Canonical page: https://data.verasight.io/ai/ai-usefulness-and-trust/
Published: 2026-10-07

> Featured topic in AI & Tech.

54.6% of Americans feel only slightly confident (39.2%) or not at all confident (15.3%) that they can judge whether an AI answer is trustworthy. Yet 64.7% find AI at least somewhat helpful in everyday life.

## Overview: Helpfulness exceeds confidence in checking answers

In a Verasight survey of 1,000 U.S. adults conducted August 13 to 18, 2026, 9.4% feel very confident judging whether an AI answer should be trusted. Another 54.6% feel only slightly confident or not at all confident.

AI is nevertheless useful in daily life for 64.7%, who find it at least somewhat helpful personally or professionally. The survey reports these views separately and does not establish how often they overlap.

## High confidence is uncommon

Very confident responses account for 9.4%, compared with 36.1% who are moderately confident.

Another 39.2% are slightly confident and 15.3% not at all confident. This measures confidence in evaluating an AI answer, not performance on an accuracy test.

## AI still helps with everyday tasks

AI is somewhat helpful for 40.0%, very helpful for 14.9% and extremely helpful for 9.8%, totaling 64.7%. The question includes personal and professional uses.

On innovation, 41.6% say AI empowers it, 29.2% say it hinders it and 29.3% are unsure. These views do not measure AI’s actual effect on innovation.

## Doctors make AI-assisted diagnosis more acceptable

For medical diagnoses, 53.7% would be comfortable with a doctor working without AI, and 46.8% with a doctor using AI for support. Respondents could select multiple acceptable scenarios, so the answers overlap.

Only 2.0% would be comfortable with AI diagnosing without human involvement. A joint diagnosis by a doctor and AI draws 25.1%, while 14.5% would be comfortable with AI diagnosing subject to a doctor’s review and approval. These are views among all adults.

## Supporting evidence

### 9.4% are very confident judging whether an AI answer should be trusted; 39.2% are slightly confident and 15.3% are not at all confident.

Question: How confident are you that you can judge whether an answer from an AI tool should be trusted?

Topline:

- 2-Slightly confident: 39.2%
- 3-Moderately confident: 36.1%
- 1-Not at all confident: 15.3%
- 4-Very confident: 9.4%

### 64.7% find AI at least somewhat helpful personally or professionally, including 40.0% somewhat, 14.9% very and 9.8% extremely helpful.

Question: How helpful is AI in your everyday life either personally or professionally?

Topline:

- Somewhat helpful: 40.0%
- Not at all helpful: 19.5%
- Not very helpful: 15.8%
- Very helpful: 14.9%
- Extremely helpful: 9.8%

### 41.6% of Americans say AI empowers innovation, compared with 29.2% who say it hinders innovation; 29.3% are unsure.

Question: Do you think that AI is empowering innovation or hindering it?

Topline:

- Empowering innovation: 41.6%
- Not sure: 29.3%
- Hindering innovation: 29.2%

### 46.8% would be comfortable with a doctor using AI to support a diagnosis, compared with 2.0% for AI making a diagnosis without human involvement.

Question: Please select all of those with which you would be comfortable

Topline:

- Doctor makes the diagnosis without using AI: 53.7%
- Doctor uses AI to support their diagnosis: 46.8%
- Doctor and AI jointly make a diagnosis: 25.1%
- AI makes the diagnosis, with doctor review and approval: 14.5%
- AI makes the diagnosis without human involvement: 2.0%

## Methodology

- Mode: Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting
- Population: US adults age 18+
- Field dates: 2026-08-13 → 2026-08-18
- Base (unweighted): 1,000
- Margin of error: +/- 3.2%
- Module: Verasight JSM and Quirk's Omnibus Survey
- Sponsor: Verasight
- Weight variable: weight
- Weighting targets: age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status

## Sources

- [How confident are you that you can judge whether an answer from an AI tool should be trusted?](https://reports.verasight.io/r/jsm-quirks-2026#q-21): reports.verasight.io/r/jsm-quirks-2026
- [How helpful is AI in your everyday life either personally or professionally?](https://reports.verasight.io/r/jsm-quirks-2026#q-9): reports.verasight.io/r/jsm-quirks-2026
- [Do you think that AI is empowering innovation or hindering it?](https://reports.verasight.io/r/jsm-quirks-2026#q-6): reports.verasight.io/r/jsm-quirks-2026
- [Please select all of those with which you would be comfortable](https://reports.verasight.io/r/jsm-quirks-2026#q-27): reports.verasight.io/r/jsm-quirks-2026

## Citation

JSM and Quirk's Omnibus Survey, fielded August 13-18, 2026, N=1,000 US adults age 18+, +/- 3.2%.

Canonical question URL: [https://reports.verasight.io/r/jsm-quirks-2026#q-21](https://reports.verasight.io/r/jsm-quirks-2026#q-21)