Americans have grown extra frightened about AI within the final 9 months. A brand new survey from the Pew Research Center signifies 52 p.c of respondents are extra involved than enthusiastic about rising synthetic intelligence use, up 14 factors since December. Meanwhile, solely 10 p.c say they’re extra excited than frightened, whereas one other 36 p.c described their views as equally balanced. “Concern about AI outweighs excitement across all major demographic groups,” the Pew Research Center wrote in a weblog submit at this time.
It’s been an eventful 9 months for the reason that Pew Center final surveyed individuals about AI. OpenAI’s ChatGPT went from a buzzed-about homework dishonest instrument to a family title, and the company world — together with tech’s most outstanding firms — raced to show who was essentially the most invested in generative AI. Microsoft plugged GPT-4 into Office and Windows, and Google launched its Bard chatbot whereas including AI parts to go looking. AI writing and generative artwork have made controversial (and broadly lined within the media) entries into journalism, guide writing, music manufacturing and even some political campaigns.
Although youthful Americans are nonetheless extra involved than excited, their views are typically extra constructive than their older counterparts. Among 18- to 29-year-olds, 42 p.c are extra involved about “the growing use of AI in daily life,” and 17 p.c are extra excited. But amongst adults 65 and up, 61 p.c say they’re primarily involved, whereas pleasure solely outweighs concern for a mere 4 p.c.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Pew Research additionally polled respondents on consciousness of AI, and it seems the extra individuals have heard about its rising adoption, the extra uneasy they really feel. The polling stories that about 90 p.c of adults have heard so much (33 p.c) or a little bit (56 p.c) about synthetic intelligence, with the “a lot” group growing by seven factors since December. Those who’ve heard a lot about AI usually tend to be frightened than in December: Anxiety outweighs enthusiasm (47 p.c to fifteen p.c) amongst that demographic, in comparison with 31 p.c involved to 23 p.c excited final 12 months. Even those that have solely heard a little bit about it describe a extra damaging view than respondents within the December ballot — by 19 factors.
When breaking down AI’s affect into classes, outcomes are extra blended. On one hand, 49 p.c mentioned it helps greater than hurts when discovering services and products they’re all for on-line (in comparison with 15 p.c that say it hurts extra). But 53 p.c answered that it hurts greater than helps in protecting private info non-public, with a mere 10 p.c saying it helps extra in that space. Other areas the place the polled Americans mentioned it helps extra embody firms making secure automobiles, medical doctors offering high quality care and folks caring for their well being. Categories like discovering correct on-line info, offering high quality customer support and police protecting the peace have been nearer to an excellent break up between constructive and damaging.
Respondents with and with out increased schooling answered in a different way. For instance, faculty graduates have been extra more likely to view AI as a constructive find services and products on-line and serving to medical doctors present high quality care (60 p.c constructive amongst faculty grads, 44 p.c for these with no diploma). But individuals with “some college or less” have been much less more likely to view it as a damaging for shielding non-public info (59 p.c amongst college-educated, 50 p.c for these with much less). Overall, these polled with a school schooling have been extra more likely to view AI positively.
