14-07-2025
17 Ways To Build Stakeholder Trust In The Age Of AI & Info Overload
In today's digital era, misinformation spreads quickly and AI-generated content is everywhere. Clarity and credibility in communication matter more than ever, especially for leaders communicating with their stakeholders. Stakeholders are increasingly attuned to tone, intent and authenticity, especially when decisions impact people directly.
Below, 17 Forbes Human Resources Council members share strategies that can help you reinforce trust across every layer of communication. Remember, it's not just about what you say, but how you validate it.
1. Lead With Purpose To Keep Communication Human In An AI World
As AI accelerates, the organizations that earn trust will be those that remain deeply human. Trust is built through communication that explains what AI does, why it matters, who remains accountable and how decisions are made. The most credible leaders communicate with precision, lead with purpose and foster trust through every interaction. Stakeholders are drawn to that clarity and conviction. - Stella H. Kim, HRCap, Inc.
2. Clarify AI Use Through Transparent And Consistent Messaging
Trust starts with transparency. Be clear about how and where you use AI: what it does, what it doesn't and how it is governed. Don't overpromise, acknowledge limitations and take accuracy seriously. Most importantly, communicate like humans and stay consistent in messaging across teams and channels. The best way to earn trust is through clarity, consistency and real accountability. - Amy Cappellanti-Wolf, Dayforce
3. Equip Leaders To Understand And Model Responsible AI Adoption
AI is far from perfect. Get your experts and leaders adopting AI into their workflows and data analysis quickly, so they can see firsthand the limitations and opportunities for the organization. Critical-minded leaders can establish workflows that yield trustworthy results and teach their teams the pitfalls to avoid. - James Glover, Flint Learning Solutions
4. Provide Ethical Guidelines And Create Feedback Loops
The recent Hacking HR AI Virtual Summit spotlighted this: To build trust and reduce misinformation, organizations must disclose how AI is used, provide ethical guidelines and create feedback loops. It is important to align AI with an organization's mission and values, provide ongoing training with teams to question outputs and identify improvements. Trust starts with transparency. - Sherry Martin
5. Maintain A Human Voice While Scaling With AI
In the age of AI and misinformation, trust starts with intention. Don't let AI take over your company's voice. Use the technology to enhance speed and scale, but always apply critical thinking and add your human touch. People recognize authenticity. When communication feels real, thoughtful and consistent, trust follows. - Simon De Baene, Workleap
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6. Balance Innovation With Honest Conversations About Change
Be honest. Explain to them the importance of a balance of innovative technologies and human intelligence to move the organization forward. This is not limited to AI but to any technological advancement. This is not about making promises about job security, but being transparent about how you expect the two to intersect. Lack of clarity and vision creates fear and chaos. - Jalie Cohen, Radiology Partners
7. Establish Authenticity Through A Distinct Organizational Voice
Invest moderate effort in an original voice. It's not so hard to prove your unique identity and, therefore, authenticity via language cues. Invoke signature phrases and verbs, hark back to familiar themes and mention valued people. Going beyond lazy, generic communication, the kind people snooze through or ignore, sets your company and leaders apart, and one day might buy you credibility in a crunch. - John Kannapell, CYPHER Learning
8. Anchor Messaging In Values, Not Just Information Speed
In an era where AI can generate answers faster than humans can verify them, people crave authenticity over perfection. Organizations earn trust by being transparent about how decisions are made, how tech is used and where human judgment still leads. HR can model this by anchoring communication in values, context and accountability. - Nicole Brown, Ask Nikki HR
9. Pace Your Communication Strategy To Align With Regulations
Although AI is advancing rapidly, that doesn't mean you have to move as quickly. Instead, create your communication plans in line with current legislative standards to ensure your stakeholders have up-to-date information that reflects your company's plans and compliance needs. Building trust can take time. - Caitlin MacGregor, Plum
10. Explain The 'Why' Behind AI To Build Long-Term Trust
In the age of AI and misinformation, trust is built on three pillars: transparency, consistency and humanity. Organizations must clearly explain how AI is being used—and more importantly, why. When the purpose behind a move is identified, understood and communicated with honesty, people are more likely to see its value. Trust grows when stakeholders don't just hear "what" but "why," too. - Ankita Singh, Relevance Lab
11. Own Your AI Use With Honest, First-Person Transparency
You can instill trust with honesty. 'I wrote this. I used AI to source peer-reviewed studies to augment and support my position. That said, I was the thought leader on the concept we are discussing. I used AI to increase my productivity and bring points of view I would not have known if I were doing a general search.' Take ownership of your use of AI and provide honest transparency on how you use AI. This helps everyone. - John Pierce, John Pierce Consulting
12. Communicate With Precision To Foster Psychological Safety
Trust isn't built through volume—it's built through precision. In an AI-driven world, organizations must lead with source transparency, clarify decision logic and name the limits of what they know. Equip leaders to communicate with psychological safety in mind. The goal isn't just to inform—it's to foster trust that holds under pressure. - Apryl Evans, USA for UNHCR
13. Use Technology Responsibly And Prioritize Human Oversight
Organizations can build trust by using secure and effective technology, clearly communicating their efforts and educating their stakeholders. They should leverage powerful tools like AI responsibly, with human oversight, and deliver personalized, proactive and transparent interactions, especially within critical channels like digital banking. - Julie Hoagland, Alkami
14. Show The Humans Behind The Automation To Build Credibility
Don't hide the humans behind the AI. Show who's accountable, what safeguards exist, and why automation supports (not replaces) your workforce. That's how you earn stakeholder trust. After all, AI doesn't erode trust; opacity does. Build credibility by clearly explaining how decisions are made, especially when they impact hiring, compliance or livelihoods. - Vardhan Kapoor, Firstwork
15. Blend Human Insight With AI For Clearer, Trusted Messaging
Effective workplace communication will only help businesses achieve better results if they leverage both AI and human intelligence. Maintaining an adequate level of communication becomes increasingly challenging as a company grows, yet relying solely on AI can be problematic. To ensure that employees understand the communication, it must be accurate and analyzed by human experts. - Dr. Nara Ringrose, Cyclife Aquila Nuclear
16. Create A Verified AI Portal To Validate Organizational Information
Organizations seeking to instill trust in the era of AI should establish a dedicated AI portal that verifies all types of internal and external information (memos, reports, corporate rumors), essentially generated by AI, and should be cross-referenced by multiple AI systems for validation. Credible, automated and independent sources should be utilized to reinforce the credibility of the sources. - Kevin Walters, Top DEI Consulting
17. Include Employees In Tech Decisions To Strengthen Transparency
Transparency is key to effective communication in the workplace. Employees want to feel informed and included in decisions being made in their organization—and this includes bringing new technology onboard and how to effectively and ethically use AI to support your work (not replace your workers). - Marcy Klipfel, Businessolver
