Consumers are increasingly spotting what they believe to be artificial intelligence in online videos, triggering a sharp drop in trust for the brands behind them. A September 2025 survey by video platform Animoto revealed that 82.6% of U.S. consumers have encountered videos they suspect were AI-generated, with more than a third reporting it diminishes their view of the brand. This perception persists even when content is human-made, as audiences apply a ‘synthetic penalty’ based on telltale signs like robotic gestures or flat emotions.

The Animoto study, polling 460 participants familiar with AI tools like ChatGPT and video generators, highlighted a stark preference for authenticity: 77.9% trust videos featuring real people far more than faceless or voice-less alternatives. ‘The data’s clear: consumers are curious about AI, but confident in humans,’ said Beth Forester, CEO of Animoto. ‘Generative AI can speed up and scale up your video creation, but it’s no replacement for authenticity.’

Marketers, meanwhile, embrace AI for efficiency—84% use it in video production, per Animoto’s State of Video 2026 report covered by Quartz—but 90% edit outputs heavily to infuse brand personality. This hybrid approach aims to counter consumer wariness amid tools like OpenAI’s Sora making hyper-realistic clips routine.

Consumer Detection Fuels Distrust Backlash

Viewers pinpoint AI through unnatural cues: 67% note robotic movements, 55% odd voices, and 51% missing emotional depth, according to Animoto. Survey respondent Olga Mirkovic described it as ‘a failure to fit into the real context.’ Aaliyah Miller added that AI videos have ‘a look and feel that tells you it is AI,’ lacking the engagement of fresh human content.

This scrutiny extends beyond videos. A Forbes analysis of Nielsen’s 2024 study found 55% uncomfortable with AI-heavy sites, and 48% distrust brands advertising there. Among Black respondents, 55% flagged bias concerns, while 56% of Native Americans shun such advertisers. ‘Prioritizing transparency and cultural relevance’ is key, said Nielsen’s Patricia Ratulangi.

Broader polls echo this: 52% worry about undisclosed AI from brands, per Sprout Social data in an eMarketer report on Billion Dollar Boy’s Muse Two survey of 4,000 consumers. Negative views of AI in creator work doubled to 32% since 2023.

Trust Penalties Hit Marketing Hard

Even labels hurt: A 2025 Nuremberg Institute study, cited in KO Insights, showed AI-tagged ads deemed less natural, slashing research and purchase intent. Deloitte’s 2024 survey noted 70% fear deception from AI content. Gartner found 53% distrust AI search summaries in a June-July 2025 poll of 377 consumers, with 61% wanting toggle options.

Brands face real fallout. McDonald’s Netherlands pulled an AI Christmas ad after backlash labeling it ‘AI slop’ that ‘ruined my Christmas spirit.’ Coca-Cola’s AI holiday push drew similar gripes for gimmickry. ‘AI produces output that is statistically likely… but that’s not genuinely meaningful,’ wrote Kate O’Neill in KO Insights. Consumers sense the gap, preferring human craft in emotional contexts.

YouGov’s December 2025 survey showed only 5% fully trust AI recommendations, with 41% distrusting it outright. iHeartMedia found most oppose AI in entertainment, despite 70% usage. On X, users like @DejaRu22 warned AI videos erode video’s reliability, foreseeing verification demands.

Marketers Pivot to Human-AI Balance

Animoto users like Chelly Wood shun AI voices as ‘pre-recorded messages,’ eroding trust. Roya Safarian urged: ‘AI can enhance storytelling as long as the brand still keeps a human touch.’ Marketers agree—95% demand brand reflection in AI outputs, 99% personality infusion.

Quartz quoted Animoto’s Lucas Killcoyne: ‘If we just generate the video and post it, we kind of miss the forest for the trees… we did not form that connection.’ The firm shifted AI to bottlenecks, preserving human control. Separate research shows 88% weigh brand trust like price or quality; 75% demand AI disclosure.

Farrukh Kamran emphasized video’s power ‘to share emotions, and connect with people.’ As AI floods feeds, brands prioritizing people—68% say real faces build trust—stand out in a ‘trust economy.’

Regulatory and Tech Shifts Ahead

EU rules mandate AI labeling, per Nuremberg Institute. Pew Research (September 2025) showed most Americans want distinction tools but doubt detection skills. X posts predict KYC surges as ‘seeing is believing’ dies—@AstasiaMyers noted 90% indistinguishability collapses persuasion costs, yet boosts skepticism.

Implications loom large: 82% find video most memorable; 83% buy post-viewing. Yet perceived synthetics cheapen brands. IAB’s 2025 survey had 37% fearing AI ad distrust. Checkr’s 2025 poll of 3,000 tied AI/deepfakes to trust cracks across generations.

Success demands hybrid models: AI for scripts (55%), edits (55%), ideas (63%), humans for soul. Forester advised balancing to resonate. As 2026 unfolds, brands ignoring this risk alienation in an authenticity-hungry market.