Acceptance of AI-powered facial recognition technology in surveillance scenarios: Role of trust, security, and privacy perceptions

The study examines the roles of various layers of trust, as well as privacy and security concerns, in shaping the acceptance of AI-powered facial recognition technology (FRT) in three surveillance scenarios—public spaces, hospitals, and schools. Based on survey data from 575 U S. participants, we found that the context in which FRT is deployed shapes people's perceptions and acceptance of the technology. People perceived greater safety gains in schools and greater privacy risks in public spaces. Trust in officials, familiarity with FRT, and perceived security benefits positively predicted acceptance, while distrust and perceived privacy risks negatively predicted acceptance. These findings offer insights for stakeholders of FRT, policymakers, and organizations that seek to implement AI-powered surveillance, emphasizing the need to address public trust and privacy concerns. •This study explores public acceptance of AI-powered facial recognition technology in different surveillance contexts.•Acceptance of AI-powered surveillance depends on multi-layered trust: experiential, dispositional, and situational.•Trust in the responsible authorities is key to public acceptance of surveillance technology.•Greater safety gains are perceived in schools, while heightened privacy risks are perceived in public spaces.•These findings bear significant implications for technology stakeholders and policymakers.