Human–AI Decision-Making: trust, agency and context engineering

You make your own decisions – right? AI is already shaping everyday choices and purchases – most often in ways we barely notice.

In this episode, David and Celeste are joined by Professor Billy Sung to explore how AI influences everyday consumer decisions, what drives trust, and how humans can stay in the loop as AI becomes more embedded.

  • What “AI” actually means (beyond ChatGPT) [01:07]
  • How AI is already shaping consumer decisions through ads, search and recommendation systems [03:27]
  • What happens when AI search starts serving ads [04:13]
  • The three drivers of trust in AI [08:51]
  • Disclosure is a double-edged sword [11:54]
  • Why people bond with AI influencers: anthropomorphism and parasocial relationships [16:15]
  • The likely future: co-created decisions and “shared agency” [31:17]

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Connect with our guests

Billy Sung, Professor, School of Management and Marketing

Professor Billy Sung is a researcher and professor at Curtin University, specialising in neuromarketing, consumer psychology and human–AI interaction. He leads Curtin’s Consumer Research Lab, bringing together behavioural science and emerging technologies to inform industry and policy decision-making.

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Transcript

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Behind the scenes

Host: Celeste Fourie and David Karsten
Content creator and recordist: Caitlin Crowley
Producer: Emilia Jolakoska
Executive Producers: Anita Shore and Natasha Weeks

First Nations Acknowledgement

Curtin University acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, the First Peoples of this place we call Australia, and the First Nations peoples connected with our global campuses. We are committed to working in partnership with Custodians and Owners to strengthen and embed First Nations’ voices and perspectives in our decision-making, now and into the future.

Curtin University supports academic freedom of speech. The views expressed in The Future Of podcast may not reflect those of Curtin University.

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