---
title: "Control over information used by AI — Knowledge data 2026"
url: https://survey.stackoverflow.co/2026/knowledge/data/know-agent-trust
year: 2026
chapter: "knowledge"
question: "KnowAgentTrust"
section: "AI adoption and cost"
licence: "ODbL 1.0 (https://opendatacommons.org/licenses/odbl/1-0/)"
---

# Control over information used by AI

64% actively curate what info AI uses; 17% have little or no visibility into AI inputs.

Asked as: When using AI tools or agents for work, how much control do you usually have over the work information they use? (`KnowAgentTrust`, single select, optional, v2026.1)

## Options offered

1. I decide exactly what information to give the AI tool
2. I choose from available sources, files, or systems
3. The AI tool chooses the information automatically
4. Someone else manages what information the AI tool can access
5. I am not sure what information the AI tool uses
6. I do not use AI tools or agents for work

## Results

### All Respondents

n = 13,243

|  | Respondents | Percent |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| I decide exactly what information to give the AI tool | 5,928 | 44.8% |
| I choose from available sources, files, or systems | 2,549 | 19.3% |
| I do not use AI tools or agents for work | 1,751 | 13.2% |
| The AI tool chooses the information automatically | 1,374 | 10.4% |
| I am not sure what information the AI tool uses | 830 | 6.3% |
| Someone else manages what information the AI tool can access | 811 | 6.1% |

### Daily AI Users

n = 8,129

|  | Respondents | Percent |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| I decide exactly what information to give the AI tool | 4,107 | 50.5% |
| I choose from available sources, files, or systems | 1,954 | 24.0% |
| I do not use AI tools or agents for work | 40 | 0.5% |
| The AI tool chooses the information automatically | 1,062 | 13.1% |
| I am not sure what information the AI tool uses | 436 | 5.4% |
| Someone else manages what information the AI tool can access | 530 | 6.5% |

### Weekly AI Users

n = 1,894

|  | Respondents | Percent |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| I decide exactly what information to give the AI tool | 991 | 52.3% |
| I choose from available sources, files, or systems | 351 | 18.5% |
| I do not use AI tools or agents for work | 61 | 3.2% |
| The AI tool chooses the information automatically | 152 | 8.0% |
| I am not sure what information the AI tool uses | 175 | 9.2% |
| Someone else manages what information the AI tool can access | 164 | 8.7% |

### Monthly/Infrequent AI Users

n = 547

|  | Respondents | Percent |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| I decide exactly what information to give the AI tool | 261 | 47.7% |
| I choose from available sources, files, or systems | 66 | 12.1% |
| I do not use AI tools or agents for work | 52 | 9.5% |
| The AI tool chooses the information automatically | 37 | 6.8% |
| I am not sure what information the AI tool uses | 93 | 17.0% |
| Someone else manages what information the AI tool can access | 38 | 7.0% |

In context: https://survey.stackoverflow.co/2026/knowledge/data.md