# Healthy Distrust in AI systems

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2505.09747 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2505.09747/

## Key facts

- No citing papers in the map yet (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 7 of its 71 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 14 May 2025.

## Builds on (most cited first, 7 of 7)

- [AI Alignment: A Comprehensive Survey](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2310.19852/) (2023)
- [The Values Encoded in Machine Learning Research](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2106.15590/) (2021)
- [On the Relation of Trust and Explainability: Why to Engineer for Trustworthiness](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2108.05379/) (2021)
- [To Trust or Distrust Trust Measures: Validating Questionnaires for Trust in AI](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2403.00582/) (2024)
- [Forms of Understanding for XAI-Explanations](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2311.08760/) (2023)
- [Aligning Generalisation Between Humans and Machines](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2411.15626/) (2024)
- [Trust, distrust, and appropriate reliance in (X)AI: a survey of empirical evaluation of user trust](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2312.02034/) (2023)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Under the slogan of trustworthy AI, much of contemporary AI research is focused on designing AI systems and usage practices that inspire human trust and, thus, enhance adoption of AI systems. However, a person affected by an AI system may not be convinced by AI system design alone -- neither should they, if the AI system is embedded in a social context that gives good reason to believe that it is used in tension with a person's interest. In such cases, distrust in the system may be justified and necessary to build meaningful trust in the first place. We propose the term "healthy distrust" to describe such a justified, careful stance towards certain AI usage practices. We investigate prior notions of trust and distrust in computer science, sociology, history, psychology, and philosophy, outline a remaining gap that healthy distrust might fill and conceptualize healthy distrust as a crucial part for AI usage that respects human autonomy.