RealVOTalent
Industry News·By Trevor O'Hare·March 26, 2026

What 14 Industry Studies Say About Consumer Trust in AI Voices

We compiled data from IAB, Pew Research, Edelman, and 11 other published studies to track how consumers feel about AI-generated voices in advertising. Here's what the numbers show.

What 14 Industry Studies Say About Consumer Trust in AI Voices

If you work in advertising, media, or voiceover, you've probably heard strong opinions about AI-generated voices. Some say they're the future. Others say audiences don't want them. We wanted to see what the data actually says.

We went through 14 published studies from organizations like the IAB, Pew Research Center, Edelman, CivicScience, Jacobs Media, Kantar, and others. We pulled out the key findings, verified each stat against its original source, and put it all in one place.

The result is our AI Voice Sentiment Index, an interactive dashboard where you can explore the data yourself.

The short version

Consumers are skeptical of AI voices in advertising, and that skepticism is growing.

  • 75% of radio listeners oppose AI cloned voices replacing human talent (Jacobs Media, 29,000+ respondents)
  • Only 13% of consumers trust ads created entirely by AI (Smartly.io)
  • 41% of consumers say AI-generated ads bother them (Kantar)
  • 81% of Americans are concerned about the implications of AI voice technology (Podcastle/Async, 1,000 respondents)

The perception gap

One of the most striking findings comes from the IAB. In their 2026 study, 82% of ad executives believed Gen Z and Millennial consumers feel positively about AI-generated ads. The actual number? 45%. That's a 37-point gap, and it widened from 32 points just a year earlier.

Consumers are also more likely than ad executives to describe brands using AI as "manipulative" (20% vs 10%) or "unethical" (16% vs 7%).

Looking for commercial voice talent?

Browse vetted professionals ready to bring your project to life.

Browse Commercial

Featured Commercial Talent

View all →
Erica Holden
Erica Holden
$0.40/word
24h delivery

With a BA in Radio/TV/Film and eight years as an audio/video editor and production manager, I’ve lived on both sides of the recording booth—which means I know exactly what you need before you ask for it. Tight deadline? Accent-heavy script? Last-minute copy changes? I’ve been there, and I’ve got you. My performance background spans theatre training and a childhood spent recording Star Wars, Archie and Marvel comics into a tape deck (yes, really. I was six and completely obsessed). These days, I bring that same enthusiasm to everything from conversational commercial reads to character-heavy narration to professional corporate work. What you get: ∙ Authentic regional accents (French, Russian, German, UK regional variations, US Southern dialects, and many more) and a great ear for mimicry ∙ Theatre-trained performance with production-minded efficiency ∙ Professional home studio with fast turnaround ∙ Someone who actually understands what “controlled chaos” means in production I’m a full-time voice actor who genuinely loves this work. Let’s make something great together!

Tabitha Rickard
Tabitha Rickard
$0.40/word
24h delivery

Tabitha is a full-time Australian voice actress specialising in character-driven voice work, commercials, animation, video games, and audiobook narration. She is known for her dynamic range, strong acting instincts, and the ability to bring warmth, clarity, and authenticity to every read. Her recent credits include voicing all four main characters in the Australian children’s animated series NatPat Pals, character work in Timber Trouble and Within the Cosmos, and the English dub role of Yomei in the anime Karekore of Mixed Blood. She is also a featured cast member in the Articul8 Studios audio drama Static Shift. Tabitha is an experienced audiobook narrator, particularly in children’s and young adult fiction, and was recently nominated for Best Female Voice Artist in the Behear Independent Audio Awards. She is a Ballarat Arts Foundation alumni and current board member. Working from a custom-built, professionally sound-treated studio, Tabitha delivers broadcast-quality audio with fast turnaround and takes direction exceptionally well. Accents include Australian (native), General American, and British, with frequent casting in children, teens, young male roles, and anime-style characters.

Aaron Sokalski
Aaron Sokalski
$0.40/word
24h delivery

Aaron is a versatile voice actor working out of Central Florida. He works across commercial, video game, audiobook, and audio drama genres. His voice is known for its clarity, emotional precision, and a naturally heroic edge, making him well suited for both grounded storytelling and dynamic character work. He approaches each project with focus and intention, bringing thoughtful interpretation and strong connection to the material. Whether delivering high energy commercial copy, nuanced long form narration, or layered character performances, Aaron prioritizes authenticity, consistency, and emotional truth in every read. Clients and collaborators value his professionalism, adaptability, and collaborative approach in session. He takes direction well, communicates clearly, and works efficiently to support the creative vision and deliver reliable results. At the core of his work is a respect for the story and the audience. Aaron’s goal is always the same: to serve the script, honor the tone, and create performances that feel natural, compelling, and believable.

Gen Z is the most skeptical generation

This surprised us. You might expect the most digitally native generation to be the most comfortable with AI. But according to the IAB data, 39% of Gen Z report negative feelings toward AI ads, compared to 20% of Millennials.

Pew Research found a similar pattern: 61% of adults under 30 say AI will make people worse at thinking creatively.

The counter-evidence

We included data that complicates the narrative because we think it matters. Not everything points negative.

Smartly.io found that 48% of consumers trust ads co-created by a person with AI support, compared to just 13% for fully AI-created ads. Human involvement is the differentiator.

Attest found that objection to AI-generated models in advertising fell from 49% to 46% year over year. A small decline, but directionally different from the other trends.

Our disclosure

RealVOTalent is a human voice talent marketplace. We have a business interest in this topic. That's why we included counter-evidence, flagged conflicts of interest in our sources (Podcastle is an AI company, the Veritonic study was funded by an AI ad platform), and disclosed our own position.

The data should stand on its own. If it doesn't support our case, we'd rather know that than pretend otherwise.

Explore the full dataset

The AI Voice Sentiment Index includes all 14 sources with direct links, sample sizes, methodology notes, and interactive charts. It's free to use and cite under CC BY 4.0.

If you're making decisions about whether to use AI or human voices in your next campaign, the data is there. Take a look.

Trevor O'Hare

Written by

Trevor O'Hare

Founder, RealVOTalent

Trevor is a professional voice actor who has worked in audio for over two decades and been in the voiceover industry since 2019, completing thousands of projects for Fortune 500 companies and small businesses alike. He also coaches voice talent at VOTrainer.com.

Get voiceover industry tips & insights

Join our newsletter. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

Browse Commercial talent
← Back to all postsPublished March 26, 2026

More from the blog