The AI Constraints Paradox

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is widely used in everyday life—through chatbots, voice assistants, and recommendations. Yet, people trust AI in personal tasks but often resist it in public roles like hiring or healthcare. Why? This study investigates that paradox through two lenses: Psychological Distance: Personal AI feels “close” and practical. Perceived Ownership: Users feel more control in personal use. Using over 220,000 YouTube comments, we applied sentiment analysis and topic modeling. Results show: Personal-use AI (e.g., apps) → more positive reactions Societal AI (e.g., job automation) → higher negativity We argue that concrete, personal framing reduces resistance, while abstract, institutional framing triggers skepticism. These findings offer insights for designing more trustworthy AI.