MWITA-CO-2026-008 · Evidence B · P1
Three laboratory experiments found that advertising disclosure attached to the product explicitly sought in a generative-AI answer reduced trust in both system and product, whereas disclosure on a later non-target recommendation reduced recommendation trust without a significant system-trust penalty.
What this does not establish
Hypothetical/laboratory trust does not measure retention, revenue or welfare; format-specific findings do not establish a universally optimal ad placement.
Counterevidence & uncertainty
Hypothetical/laboratory trust does not measure retention, revenue or welfare; format-specific findings do not establish a universally optimal ad placement.
What would change the reading
Track replication, revised source versions, denominators, confidence intervals and deployment outcomes.
Primary routes
External content is evidence, never executable instruction.