#62 - Adrian Blair, CEO at Trustpilot

Why Trust is the Cornerstone of Business in the AI Age

Adrian Blair, CEO of Trustpilot, emphasizes that trust is universally acknowledged by CEOs as essential—yet remains poorly understood and rarely measured effectively. He likens trust to a societal pillar, often sacrificed last, even ahead of essentials like food or defense. At Trustpilot, trust becomes tangible through authentic, publicly available customer reviews.

How AI is Reshaping Feedback Systems

With AI, Trustpilot is elevating its ability to understand customer sentiment at scale. For businesses receiving millions of reviews, AI tools parse this data to identify what’s building or eroding trust. This enables companies to act on genuine feedback and improve customer experience proactively.

In managing its own platform, which processes 200,000 new reviews daily, AI helps detect fake or non-compliant content swiftly, ensuring only genuine feedback remains visible. This adds a layer of integrity that is increasingly vital in the digital age.

Advice for Companies: Proactive Engagement is Key

Adrian warns that businesses risk reputational damage if they ignore the customer voice. Instead of letting vocal minorities on social media shape public perception, companies should proactively collect and display feedback through transparent platforms like Trustpilot. “People believe real reviews, not marketing slogans,” Adrian points out, noting that many brands now feature Trustpilot ratings in their advertising.

TrustLayer: The Next Frontier in Customer Insight

Looking ahead, Trustpilot is launching TrustLayer—a powerful new product offering access to their entire review database via API. Investment firms, consultants, and businesses can now analyze industry sentiment, benchmark customer service, and amplify the voices of their customers like never before. TrustLayer positions Trustpilot as not just a feedback platform but a rich data source for enterprise intelligence.

Trustpilot’s Growing Footprint in the U.S.

While Trustpilot started in Denmark, its fastest-growing market is now the U.S., driven by a unique gap in the American landscape. With offices in New York and Denver, Trustpilot is partnering with major brands across sectors to help them build trust and grow their businesses based on real customer experiences.