Recently, the Pew Research Center in the United States released a global survey showing that American public concern about artificial intelligence (AI) is the highest in the world. Although the US is the birthplace of AI technology, the survey shows that the public's attitude towards AI is not optimistic.
Image source note: The image was generated by AI, and the image licensing service provider is Midjourney
The survey found that 43% of global respondents feel both concerned and excited about AI, while 34% feel more concerned about AI, and only 16% feel excited about it. This proportion is significantly lower than what companies expect from the public. There are significant differences in the level of concern about AI among different countries, with the US and Italy showing the most concern, with nearly half of the respondents feeling more worried about AI. In the US, only 10% of people said they felt excited about AI.
Additionally, the percentage of people in Canada who feel excited about AI is even lower, at just 9%. Globally, only in Israel and South Korea did the number of respondents who felt excited about AI exceed those who were concerned, but the proportions were still less than one-third. This indicates that global enthusiasm for AI is generally low, and no country has more than 30% of adults expressing excitement.
The survey also revealed a relationship between income and perception of AI, with respondents from high-income countries having more knowledge about AI. Educational level also significantly influenced people's attitudes toward AI: people with lower levels of education showed greater concerns about AI. Those who frequently use the Internet tend to have a more positive attitude toward AI.
In terms of AI regulation, most respondents expressed trust in their government's ability. For example, 89%, 74%, and 72% of people in India, Indonesia, and Israel, respectively, believed that the government could effectively regulate AI. However, in the US, only 44% of people trusted the government, while 47% expressed distrust. Countries with an optimistic attitude toward AI tended to have more confidence in the government's regulatory capabilities. Political orientation also influenced public trust in AI regulation. In the US, 54% of Republican supporters believed the government could effectively regulate AI, while only 36% of Democratic supporters held the same view.
Notably, some AI executives have already admitted that AI may lead to job losses, which contradicts the initial promise that AI would "enhance human work." Despite the lack of public enthusiasm for AI, this has not stopped the capital-driven AI industry from continuing to develop rapidly.
Key points:
🌍 A global survey shows that Americans are the most concerned about AI.
💼 People with higher income and education levels have a more positive understanding and attitude toward AI.
🤔 Most countries trust that the government can regulate AI, but the US has relatively lower trust.
