Understanding Operator Attitudes Toward AI-Supported Decision Making in Maritime Operations

A survey of maritime professionals finds positive but scenario-sensitive attitudes toward AI collision-avoidance assistants, urging design for calibrated reliance.

The study surveyed maritime stakeholders on attitudes toward AI-supported collision-avoidance assistants for Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships, measuring technology anxiety, trust in automation, and explanation quality with established questionnaires plus thematic analysis of open responses. Results show generally positive disposition, no clear age-related openness differences, stable trust across scenarios, and multidimensional, scenario-sensitive explanation ratings. Participants valued decision support and situation awareness but worried about AI reliability, over-reliance, and skill loss; the authors recommend designing for calibrated reliance with domain experts in the loop rather than maximizing automation or trust.