In 2025, the Edelman Trust Barometer examined trust across a world grappling with grievance. Through our January report and subsequent studies on health, brands, and artificial intelligence, we explored how people altered their relationships with institutions and redefined who they relied on for information and expertise.
What stood out most to me from these studies were three divides:
A global crisis of grievance undermines trust in institutions: Grievance now shapes the worldview of 6 in 10 people, and is accompanied by deep pessimism about business, government, and the future. Those with a high sense of grievance are more likely to hold a zero-sum mindset towards people with different politics, with 53% saying others’ gains come at their expense compared to only 23% of those with low grievance.
AI adoption splits by geography, industry, and income: More than half of people in China (54%) and over a third in Brazil (35%) say they embrace the growing use of AI, while far fewer in Germany (16%), the UK (18%), and the U.S. (17%) feel the same. A majority of low-income respondents (54%) believe they will be left behind rather than benefit from generative AI compared to only 31% of high-income respondents.
Gen Z drives a new era of identity, influence, and information risk: Young people are changing trust dynamics throughout our research. Only 4 in 10 young Americans trust AI, yet across markets surveyed, they are the most frequent users compared to older generations. Nearly half (46%) of Gen Z say they have disregarded their doctor’s advice in favor of information from their family and friends. And over half of young adults (53%) view hostile activism as a viable means of driving change, over double the rate of those 55+.
As we look ahead, the 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer will deepen our exploration of societal divides and look at how trust can be restored through chosen mediators. We invite you to join our global launch event in January, where we’ll unveil the new findings and discuss what leaders can do in the year ahead. Please see the invitation below for details and to register. Sign up to be one of the first to receive the report here.
Thank you for following the Trust Barometer and utilizing the data to build trust in your own organizations and communities. I wish you a happy holiday season and look forward to all that’s to come in 2026.
Justin Blake
Executive Director, Edelman Trust Institute
You’re invited to join the virtual launch of the 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer, streamed live from the World Economic Forum on Tuesday, January 20, at 7:30am CET.
The 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer will reveal what’s driving belief, skepticism, and influence in today’s polarized environment, uncovering how leaders can bridge divides and use trust to drive growth, credibility, and impact.
The TrustMakers is where listeners learn from global experts about what it takes to build trust in today’s society. Throughout 2025, The TrustMakers hosted dozens of insightful guests from around the world, and recorded live from events like SXSW, Cannes Lions and the World Economic Forum.
We're calling out some of our favorite episodes below, which covered topics like societal divides, brand purpose, media fragmentation, and the influence of Gen Z.
