A long way to go for artificial intelligence acceptance
New surveys show that big tech companies still have quite a long way to go until they have convinced users about the advantages with more use of artificial intelligence. The surveys say people are more worried than excited. Both Microsoft and Google CEOs have recently, in very positive terms, described how generative AI chatbots will make their search engines even more useful.
A Pew Research survey says only 15% are more excited than worried about increased use of AI in daily life. A Monmouth University survey shows only 9% believe computer scientists’ ability to develop AI would do more good than harm to society.
60% have heard about generative AI chatbots that can write answers to questions and that look like they were written by a human, the Monmouth University survey shows.
72% believe there will be a time when entire news articles will be written by artificial intelligence.
“However, very few see this as a positive development. In fact, more than 3 in 4 (78%) say that news articles written by AI would be a bad thing. Furthermore, 65% say it is very likely that AI programs such as ChatGPT will be used by students to cheat on their schoolwork.”
“AI has started to permeate every facet of life. Most Americans are skeptical that this is a good thing, even though many of them use some form of artificial intelligence on a regular basis already,” says Patrick Murray, director of the independent Monmouth University Polling Institute.
Overall, only 1 in 10 (9%) Americans believe computer scientists’ ability to develop AI would do more good than harm to society. The remainder are divided between saying AI would do equal amounts of harm and good (46%) or that it would actually do more harm to society overall (41%).
The university says existential fears about humanity’s relationship with artificial intelligence have increased.
“A majority (55%) of Americans are now worried at least somewhat that artificially intelligent machines could one day pose a risk to the human race’s existence. This marks a reversal from Monmouth’s 2015 poll, when a smaller number (44%) was worried and a majority (55%) was not.”
The Pew Research Center says amid the ongoing discussions, the public strikes a cautious tone toward the overall impact of AI in society today.
“The public remains cautious about the impact artificial intelligence is having on American life: Just 15% say they are more excited than concerned about the increasing use of AI in daily life, compared with 38% who are more concerned than excited; 46% express an equal mix of concern and excitement.”
Pew says these views are about unchanged since a survey in November 2021 which indicates that recent declarations of benefits from AI have had no real impact.
“On balance, a greater share of Americans say they are more concerned than excited about the increased use of artificial intelligence in daily life (38%) than say they are more excited than concerned (15%). Many express ambivalent views: 46% say they are equally concerned and excited.
“Across all levels of awareness of AI, larger shares express greater concern than excitement about the impact of artificial intelligence in daily life.”
“For example, among those who scored high in awareness of AI in daily life, 31% say they are more concerned than excited about the impact of AI, compared with 21% who say they are more excited than concerned. Those with medium or low AI awareness express greater concern than excitement by even wider margins.”
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