In this opening SXSW 2026 segment, Reed Smith and Tripadvisor leaders set the stage for a deeper discussion on AI safety and trust by grounding the conversation in real-world use cases. Through engaging examples drawn from online reviews and consumer-facing platforms, the panel explores why trust and transparency are foundational to responsible AI deployment, long before regulation enters the picture. The discussion highlights how established trust-and-safety principles are being extended to generative AI, and why organizations must embed governance, accountability, and human oversight at the core of their AI strategies to maintain consumer confidence and brand integrity.