{"id":25097,"date":"2026-06-08T15:56:42","date_gmt":"2026-06-08T15:56:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/insurance-canada.ca\/?p=85851"},"modified":"2026-06-08T15:56:42","modified_gmt":"2026-06-08T15:56:42","slug":"canadians-say-theyre-cautious-about-ai-but-many-are-already-letting-it-decide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.lifeinsurance-orleans.ca\/index.php\/2026\/06\/08\/canadians-say-theyre-cautious-about-ai-but-many-are-already-letting-it-decide\/","title":{"rendered":"Canadians say they\u2019re cautious about AI, but many are already letting it decide"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3>EY study shows adoption is outpacing sentiment as AI takes on greater responsibility<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><em><b>13% of Canadians are already using autonomous AI, allowing systems to act on their behalf<\/b><\/em><\/li>\n<li><em><b>AI is embedded in daily life, with up to 78% using it in energy and mobility and 67% in customer experiences<\/b><\/em><\/li>\n<li><em><b>Trust remains fragile, as 71% fear AI system breaches and only 39% trust companies to protect AI\u2011used data<\/b><\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Toronto, ON (May 11, 2026) \u2013 Canadians may describe themselves as cautious about artificial intelligence, but new findings from the 2026 EY AI Sentiment Study suggest a very different reality. While concerns about security, accountability and control remain high, Canadians are already embedding AI into everyday decisions, often in ways that extend beyond simple assistance into early autonomy.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat we\u2019re seeing is less about blind trust and more about conditional permission,\u201d says Biren Agnihotri, EY Canada Chief Technology Officer. \u201cCanadians are comfortable with AI in familiar, low\u2011risk moments, and that everyday experience is reshaping how trust actually develops.\u201d<\/p>\n<h4>A \u2018meaningful minority\u2019 is already letting AI decide<\/h4>\n<p>The study shows 13% of Canadians have used autonomous AI in the past six months, systems that go beyond recommendations to act on a user\u2019s behalf. While still a minority, this group signals where Canadians are beginning to grant AI deeper authority.<\/p>\n<p>Comfort with autonomy is strongest in everyday moments such as redeeming loyalty points, resolving customer service issues and managing home security systems. These are decisions that are easy to review, reverse or correct, allowing trust to build through experience rather than assumption. EY\u2019s data shows Canadians who already use AI are significantly more open to autonomous decision\u2011making than non\u2011users, suggesting exposure \u2014 not persuasion \u2014 is the strongest driver of acceptance.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_85852\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/insurance-canada.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ey-ai-sentiment-study-2026-fig1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-85852\" class=\"wp-image-85852 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/insurance-canada.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ey-ai-sentiment-study-2026-fig1-1024x576.jpg\" alt width=\"640\" height=\"360\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insurance-canada.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ey-ai-sentiment-study-2026-fig1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/insurance-canada.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ey-ai-sentiment-study-2026-fig1-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/insurance-canada.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ey-ai-sentiment-study-2026-fig1-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insurance-canada.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ey-ai-sentiment-study-2026-fig1.jpg 1422w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-85852\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><i>Figure 1: Preference for AI in everyday scenarios (Source: 2026 EY AI Sentiment Study)<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h4><b>AI is embedded in daily life, not just at work<\/b><\/h4>\n<p>Beyond autonomy, AI has quietly become part of daily routines for most Canadians. The research highlights 78% of Canadians having used AI in energy and mobility activities such as route optimization, travel planning or managing home energy consumption. Sixty\u2011seven percent have interacted with AI in customer experiences, including chatbots, recommendations and personalized offers.<\/p>\n<p>Technology and entertainment is another major touchpoint, with 61% of Canadians using AI for content recommendations or smart\u2011device management. Health and wellness adoption is also growing, with 55% using AI for health information, symptom checking or wearable\u2011driven insights.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_85853\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/insurance-canada.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ey-ai-sentiment-study-2026-fig2.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-85853\" class=\"wp-image-85853 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/insurance-canada.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ey-ai-sentiment-study-2026-fig2-1024x576.jpg\" alt width=\"640\" height=\"360\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insurance-canada.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ey-ai-sentiment-study-2026-fig2-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/insurance-canada.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ey-ai-sentiment-study-2026-fig2-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/insurance-canada.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ey-ai-sentiment-study-2026-fig2-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insurance-canada.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ey-ai-sentiment-study-2026-fig2.jpg 1422w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-85853\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><i>Figure 2: Largest increase in AI use between 2025 and 2026 (Source: 2026 EY AI Sentiment Study)<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h4><b>Security sets the trust threshold<\/b><\/h4>\n<p>Despite this momentum, trust remains fragile. Seventy\u2011one percent of Canadians worry about AI systems being hacked or breached, making security the top concern related to AI adoption. Only 39% trust companies to protect their data when it is used by AI. Beyond cybersecurity, two\u2011thirds worry organizations won\u2019t be accountable for AI\u2011driven harm, 59% fear AI decisions may conflict with personal values, and 72% say human oversight remains essential, even when AI systems perform accurately.<\/p>\n<p>Read the full study findings: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ey.com\/en_ca\/insights\/ai\/as-ai-moves-from-advice-to-authority-who-defines-its-limits\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>How artificial intelligence use is shifting from assistive to autonomous: As AI moves from advice to authority, who defines its limits?<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n<h4 class=\"smallhead\"><b>About EY<\/b><\/h4>\n<p>EY is building a better working world by creating new value for clients, people, society and the planet, while building trust in capital markets.&nbsp;Enabled by data, AI and advanced technology, EY teams help clients shape the future with confidence and develop answers for the most pressing issues of today and tomorrow.&nbsp;EY teams work across a full spectrum of services in assurance, consulting, tax, strategy and transactions. Fueled by sector insights, a globally connected, multi-disciplinary network and diverse ecosystem partners, EY teams can provide services in more than 150 countries and territories. All in to shape the future with confidence. For more information, please visit <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ey.com\/en_ca\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">www.ey.com\/ca<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"referencetextnoital\">EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more, of the member firms of Ernst &amp; Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst &amp; Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. Information about how EY collects and uses personal data and a description of the rights individuals have under data protection legislation is available at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ey.com\/en_gl\/privacy-statement\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">ey.com\/privacy<\/a>. EY member firms do not practice law where prohibited by local laws.<\/p>\n<p class=\"referencetext\"><i>SOURCE: Ernst &amp; Young LLP<\/i><\/p>\n<p> Tags: <a href=\"https:\/\/insurance-canada.ca\/tag\/artificial-intelligence\/\" rel=\"tag\">Artificial Intelligence (AI)<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/insurance-canada.ca\/tag\/ey\/\" rel=\"tag\">EY<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/insurance-canada.ca\/tag\/survey\/\" rel=\"tag\">survey<\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>EY study shows adoption is outpacing sentiment as AI takes on greater responsibility 13% of Canadians are already using autonomous AI, allowing systems to act on their behalf AI is embedded in daily life,&#46;&#46;&#46;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[],"tags":[1],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.lifeinsurance-orleans.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25097"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.lifeinsurance-orleans.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.lifeinsurance-orleans.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.lifeinsurance-orleans.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.lifeinsurance-orleans.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25097"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blog.lifeinsurance-orleans.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25097\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.lifeinsurance-orleans.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25097"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.lifeinsurance-orleans.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25097"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.lifeinsurance-orleans.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25097"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}