For decades, Hollywood has made millions off of our fears that artificial intelligences such as HAL in 2001: A Space Odyssey and Skynet in The Terminator could one day control us or even wipe out humanity.
But that was then. Today, we have kindler, gentler, real-life AIs
like iPhones Siri and Amazons Alexa, and according to a new survey
overseen by a team of University of Delaware researchers, many of us are
more than happy to include this technology in our daily lives.
The results of the survey, released this month, show that almost half
of all Americans say they use a voice-activated personal assistant such
as Siri or Alexa. Those who use such assistants are particularly likely
to support developing AI (63%) and public funding for research on it
(46%), while those who do not utilize these services show less support
(51% and 37%, respectively). Furthermore, people who use voice
assistants are especially likely to see AI as having positive effects on
society and to feel hopeful about the technology.
"More and more Americans are using personal assistants in their
everyday lives,, and that may be helping to pave the way for broader
acceptance of AI, said UD communication professor Paul Brewer, one of
the studys co-authors. People who talk to Siri or Alexa are especially
supportive of AI in general."
For the study, funded by a grant from the Charles Koch Foundation,
the survey was conducted on March 17-27, 2020, by the National Opinion
Research Center. A nationally representative sample of 1,900 adult U.S.
residents in NORCs AmeriSpeak Panel were interviewed online. Results
were weighted by age, sex, education, race/ethnicity, housing tenure,
telephone status and Census Division to reflect U.S. population values.
The survey found that 67% of Americans who frequently watch science
fiction programs and movies believe we should do more to develop AI.
Meanwhile, 55% of those who dont watch science fiction favor developing
AI technology. Avid science fiction viewers are also more likely to say
that AI will benefit rather than harm society.
We found that science fiction fans are particularly favorable toward
developing AI technology, said Brewer. Which is particularly
fascinating when you consider how AI is often negatively portrayed in
science fiction films.
Yet the survey showed that broader use of AI technology did not
necessarily translate into familiarity. Most Americans reported only a
slight familiarity with AI. Roughly a quarter (27%) said they heard a
lot about AI, while more than half (59%) said they had heard a little
about it. The remaining 13% have heard nothing about AI.
The survey results suggest that Americans want non-political experts
to manage AI. The public trusts experts at universities, technology
companies and the military to handle AI, but they do not trust the
federal government. Almost three-fourths of Americans (73%) trust
university researchers a great deal or a fair amount when it comes to
developing and using AI. Majorities also trust technology companies
(61%) and the U.S. military (60%) to develop and use AI. However, only
35% of Americans trust the government in Washington to do so.
The high distrust in government is notable, particularly in contrast
to the support for regulation. My hunch is that this reflects broader
distrust in government among both traditional anti-government and
anti-Trump folks, Brewer said.
When it comes to trust with AI, the public probably needs more
specific questions about who, how and why, said co-author David Wilson, a
professor of political science and international relations.
These concerns reflect a level of mistrust, but also a desire to see
more AI use, Wilson said. These tensions are what make AI
fundamentally political, and as technology advances, researchers should
continue to monitor public attitudes.
There are some partisan gaps, but the issue doesn't seem sharply
polarized right now unlike, say, climate change or now COVID. That
makes sense given that there's no sharp, clear divide between Republican
and Democratic leaders on the issue, Brewer said.
But while this study mines some of the typical territory such as
partisan divides and gender gaps it also breaks new ground because of
its focus on the various determinants of political messaging, Wilson
said.
Not only did we look at issues related to trust and general support
or opposition, but we tested how the framing of AI matters with regard
to scary or gentle images, he said. These types of innovations help us
to better predict how individuals fill in the knowledge gaps about AI,
when they do not have strong attitudes.
Article by Peter Bothum; photo by iStock
Published Aug. 14, 2020