A new survey conducted by the Pew Research Center reveals that a growing number of Americans are expressing concern about the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in their daily lives. The survey, which included 11,201 U.S. adults, found that 52% of Americans are more concerned than excited about the increased use of AI. This represents a 14 percentage point increase since December 2022. The survey also found that concern about AI outweighs excitement across all major demographic groups, with adults ages 65 and older being the most concerned. However, opinions about the impact of AI in specific areas vary, with more positive views on AI’s use in finding products and services online, while concerns are greater regarding privacy. The survey also highlighted demographic differences, with higher levels of education and income being associated with more positive views on AI’s impact. Men also tend to view AI’s impact more positively than women. Overall, the survey indicates that public opinion on AI is still developing and that concerns about maintaining human control, doubts about improvement, and caution over adoption in fields like health and medicine are prevalent.
| Signal | Change | 10y horizon | Driving force |
|---|---|---|---|
| Growing concern about AI | Concern outweighs excitement | Heightened regulation and ethics | Fear of loss of control and job security |
| Rising awareness about AI | Increased concern among the public | Greater emphasis on education | Desire for knowledge and understanding |
| Mixed opinions on AI’s impact | Varying views on different use cases | Improved AI applications | Perception of benefits and drawbacks |
| Demographic differences in views of AI | Education and income impact perception | Greater access to AI education | Socioeconomic factors |
| Gender differences in views of AI impact | Men have more positive views | Increased gender equality in tech | Gender biases and societal norms |