The difference between being 'verified' and being 'trusted' — and why it matters

We want to be precise about what AI Verified does and doesn't claim, because the word "verified" carries more weight than we intend it to. **What "verified" means in our context** When we say a business is verified, we mean: we have confirmed that the business name, domain, and registration number in the passport are internally consistent and match the records in the relevant national registry. We have confirmed that the passport holder controls the domain (for Silver tier and above). We have generated a forensic hash of the identity record at the point of verification. That's it. We are not verifying that the business is good at what it does. We are not verifying that the business has no complaints against it. We are not verifying that the business's claims about its products or services are accurate. **What "trusted" would mean** Trust is earned through behaviour over time. A business that has been verified, has positive reviews, has press coverage, has been operating for years, and has no complaints against it is a trusted business. Verification is one input into trust — it establishes identity — but it's not the whole picture. We use the word "verified" deliberately and precisely. If we said "trusted," we'd be claiming more than we can deliver. We're not in the business of vouching for business quality — we're in the business of establishing business identity. This distinction matters for how you use the badge and the verification page. The honest framing is: "Our identity has been independently verified." Not: "We are a trusted business." The first claim we can back up. The second is for your customers to decide.