Consumers Are Losing Trust in AI: It Might Hurt PPC Performance

Here’s something worth paying attention to: 59% of consumers are uncomfortable with their data being used to train AI models. That number doesn’t just point to a privacy problem, but highlights a growing issue: If people stop trusting how their data is collected and used, marketers who depend on that data to drive results will be affected. 

A new study by Usercentrics, based on a survey of 10,000 internet users across Europe and the U.S., shows just how much the conversation around personal data has changed. In 2025, consumers aren’t blindly accepting every cookie banner or ad personalization offer. They’re asking questions, clicking out, saying “no, thanks,” or just blocking tracking altogether.

And that’s a big deal for anyone running paid ads. PPC platforms like Google Ads, Meta, and Microsoft Ads run on a mix of personal data and machine learning. They use AI to target, optimize, and bid. And it’s that same AI — the one now in the spotlight — that people are increasingly skeptical of.

Consumers are pulling back. They’re sharing less. They’re opting out of tracking. And when that happens, core parts of your campaigns start to wobble: Retargeting gets harder, attribution gets murky, audiences shrink, and conversion tracking becomes patchy. 

Let’s unpack what the research found — and what it means for your campaigns.

Behind the Study: What Consumers Really Think About Data in 2025

The Usercentrics report, The State of Digital Trust in 2025, was developed in partnership with Sapio Research, and it paints a pretty detailed picture of how today’s internet users feel about their data. The study surveyed 10,000 frequent internet users across the U.S. and Europe, asking a range of questions about personal data, AI, consent, and trust in digital services.

The goal of the study was simple: Understand how consumers feel about companies collecting, using, and profiting from their personal data, especially when AI and digital advertising are involved. The results show a clear trend: People are more aware, more skeptical, and more selective than ever.

The study demonstrates a shift in consumer behavior that impacts how campaigns perform and necessitates adjustments to marketing strategies. For marketers, especially in PPC, this matters a lot. If people don’t trust you with their data, they’re less likely to allow tracking, which means your targeting gets weaker, your conversion data becomes incomplete, and your results start slipping.

So while privacy might’ve started as a legal checkbox, in 2025, it’s become a campaign performance issue. And marketers who ignore it? They’re not just risking fines — they’re risking their ROI.

The AI Trust Gap and the Fallout for Performance Marketing

Besides the 59% of consumers who are uncomfortable with their data being used to train AI, 48% of the responders say they trust AI less than they trust humans with their personal information. That’s directly affecting how people interact with the digital ads and platforms we rely on every day. 

The problem is that AI is the engine behind most major PPC platforms. Google Ads, Meta, and Microsoft all use machine learning to automate bidding, personalize targeting, and optimize ad delivery. These systems work by collecting, analyzing, and acting on user data at scale.

But if users no longer feel safe sharing that data, the engine starts to sputter. Here’s what that looks like in practice:

• Lower opt-in rates for cookies and tracking: People are saying “no” more often to data collection.
• More limited audience segments: Your remarketing lists shrink, your targeting options narrow.
• Less reliable conversion data: Attribution becomes murkier, and optimization gets harder.

So if you’re seeing your ROAS slipping or campaign data feeling a little off lately, it’s the result of growing distrust in the very systems PPC depends on.

And here’s the kicker: This is happening at the same time advertisers are fighting another silent enemy — click fraud. Bots, click farms, and shady competitors are inflating traffic and draining budgets, all while real users are pulling back and protecting their data. So marketers are left with two compounding problems:

• Data quality is dropping because users don’t want to be tracked.
• Traffic quality is dropping because bots and fake clicks are still getting through.

Together, this creates a tough environment for any performance-driven team. But understanding the problem is the first step to adapting, and that’s where this study becomes especially useful.

Consent Clicks Are Now Campaign Signals

If you still think cookie banners are just legal formalities, think again. In 2025, they’re campaign signals, and consumers are paying attention. According to the Usercentrics study:

• 42% of users read cookie banners “always” or “often”
• 46% click “accept all” less often than they did three years ago
• 36% have actively adjusted their privacy settings or rejected data use

This isn’t passive behavior anymore. People aren’t just breezing through banners to get to the content — they’re stopping, reading, and deciding. And those decisions shape how well your campaigns perform. 

For example, when users reject tracking, they’re off the radar for retargeting. With limited consent, it gets harder to know which channels or campaigns are driving results, and data quality drops. Marketers once again turn to guesswork. 

And if your site still relies on dark patterns, like hiding the reject button or using confusing language, it might damage the brand. People don’t trust manipulative experiences, and that first interaction could be the last.

What Should Marketers Do?

Retargeting, personalization, and even lead generation all rely on opted-in, trusted data. Without consent, those smart audience segments you built start disappearing. Personalized ad experiences fall flat because you don’t have the signals needed to tailor your message. And lead gen forms lose power when users don’t feel comfortable handing over their details. That’s why earning trust early on isn’t just good practice; it’s critical to keeping your funnel alive.

The best move is to treat your consent banner like a performance asset: A/B test it, personalize it, and explain what users get in return for their consent. Think of it like a landing page. It’s your first real handshake with a user, a moment to show that your brand respects their choices, not just wants their clicks.

Privacy-Led Marketing: The Future of Paid Growth

So what’s the path forward in a world where trust is fading and data is harder to collect? It’s called Privacy-Led Marketing, a smarter and more sustainable way to grow.

At its core, Privacy-Led Marketing is about putting user privacy and trust at the heart of your strategy. That doesn’t mean pulling back on performance; it means protecting it. Because in today’s environment, the marketers who lead with transparency are the ones who win more clicks, better data, and longer-lasting customer relationships.

When it’s done right, Privacy-Led Marketing gives you:

• Better first-party data: Data that’s accurate, consented, and actually useful.
• More loyal customer relationships: People stick with brands they trust.
• Higher conversion quality and retention: Because clean data drives better targeting and better results.

And PPC marketers are in a unique position to lead this shift. Here’s how:

• Use server-side tagging: This gives you more control over what data gets collected and how it’s processed.
  
• Be clear about data use: Explain it in your banners, your forms, your landing pages — anywhere a user might hesitate.
• Keep your traffic clean: Partner with tools like ClickGUARD to block bots, filter out bad clicks, and protect your campaigns from fraud.

Action Plan: For Marketers Who Want to Win With Trust

If you’re running PPC campaigns in 2025, the game has changed. Here’s your PPC-specific action plan — adapted from the Usercentrics recommendations — to help you build campaigns that perform because they respect privacy, not in spite of it:

1. Lead With Transparency in Your Ads and Landing Pages

Don’t just ask for data — tell people why you’re asking. Whether it’s for personalizing offers, improving service, or simplifying checkout, explain the value clearly. When users understand what they get in return, they’re far more likely to share.

2. Optimize Your Consent UX for Performance

That consent banner? Treat it like a conversion point. Use clear language, helpful design, and contextual timing. Just like your ad creative or CTA, it should feel intentional and easy, not like legal filler.

3. Build First-Party Relationships With Clean, Verified Traffic

Your strategy is only as good as the data feeding it. Use tools like ClickGUARD to block invalid clicks, detect suspicious traffic, and protect the quality of your first-party data. There’s no point collecting consent from bots.

4. Use Privacy As a Differentiator

Most brands still play it safe or vague when it comes to privacy messaging. Flip that. Be the brand that’s refreshingly clear, that explains things simply, and that earns trust by showing, not just telling. It’s how you turn cautious users into loyal customers.