What the Industry Is Getting Wrong About AI, with John Dick, CivicScience | Cannes 2026
Survey your audience to gauge AI skepticism before launching AI‑driven campaigns.
Survey your audience to gauge AI skepticism before launching AI‑driven campaigns.
Summary
At Cannes 2026, CivicScience CEO John Dick highlighted a critical blind spot in the AI conversation: the consumer. Survey data shows that AI is among the most unpopular technologies, with the average person feeling somewhere between skeptical and terrified. Dick argues that the industry is missing its most important stakeholder, the consumer, and that this gap could undermine AI adoption. He points out that while businesses tout AI benefits, they rarely address consumer concerns or incorporate consumer feedback into product design. The article calls for a shift toward consumer‑centric AI development, emphasizing transparency, trust, and user control.
The piece underscores the importance of listening to consumers before deploying AI solutions. By aligning AI initiatives with consumer expectations, companies can avoid backlash and build lasting trust. The author urges stakeholders to prioritize consumer voices in AI strategy.
In short, the article warns that ignoring consumer sentiment could derail AI progress and calls for a more inclusive approach.
Key changes
- AI is among the most unpopular technologies according to survey data
- Average consumer feels between skeptical and terrified of AI
- Industry is missing the consumer as a key stakeholder
- Consumer concerns are rarely addressed in AI product design
- Calls for a consumer‑centric AI development approach