Background: As artificial intelligence (AI) increasingly permeates online commerce, understanding how AI algorithms influence customer trust becomes crucial for companies, particularly in the sports nutrition and fitness industries. Objective: This research aims to identify factors influencing digital economy consumers' trust in AI-powered recommendation systems and to deeply analyze elements that enhance safety perceptions of AI products and services among college athlete graduates. Method: Non-probabilistic convenience sampling was employed to gather data from 486 students at a public institution, focusing on opinions regarding the use of AI in purchasing sports nutrition and fitness products online. Results: The study found that transparency and the enhancement of AI capabilities play pivotal roles in fostering consumer trust. The academic disciplines of the students correlated significantly with their trust in AI, as demonstrated through an ordinal logistic model and chi-square tests. These findings suggest that for businesses in the digital economy, particularly those targeting sports and fitness markets, it is crucial to emphasize the creation and maintenance of trust in AI technologies to ensure their widespread acceptance and integration. Conclusion: The complexities of trust in AI algorithms among digital economy consumers, especially college athlete graduates, were elucidated in this study. The results underscore the importance of transparency, consistency, and the perceived efficacy of AI systems in building trust among consumers of sports nutrition and fitness products. These insights are critical for companies looking to leverage AI to enhance customer loyalty and retention in this niche market.