By India McCarty
AI is becoming more widespread, but a new study finds most Americans don’t trust the technology — or the people in charge of it.
“Experts are far more positive and enthusiastic about AI than the public,” a report from the Pew Research Center reads. “For example, the AI experts we surveyed are far more likely than Americans overall to believe AI will have a very or somewhat positive impact on the United States over the next 20 years (56% vs. 17%).”
The study also asked experts and members of the public if they are “more excited than concerned about the increased use of AI in daily life” — 47% of experts said yes, while just 11% of members of the public said the same.
Additionally, most Americans see AI as harmful (43%) and do not believe it will have a positive impact on their lives or jobs, with just 23% of those surveyed saying they have a good opinion of the tech.
There is a gender split as well, with more male AI experts registering optimism about the tech than female experts.
Another report on AI from Gallup made a surprising finding surrounding age groups. Even though Gen Z is more likely to interact with AI on a weekly basis (79%), many young people don’t trust it; 41% say it makes them feel anxious. Only 27% say AI makes them feel hopeful.
Related: What Americans Really Think About AI and Creativity
“Gen Z, they don’t trust the government, they don’t trust big tech companies, they don’t trust the news,” Zach Hrynowski, author of the Gallup report, told The Verge. “They haven’t gotten to a point where they feel like the benefits [of AI] outweigh the risks.”
Other countries don’t necessarily share this wariness, though. In a survey published by Axios, adults in India, China and Mexico were reported to be much more supportive of AI, with 77%, 72% and 55% of adults, respectively, saying they trust the tech.
Meanwhile, that number continues to drop for Americans across all tech fields. A decade ago, almost three-quarters of Americans said they trusted tech companies. Today, that number stands at around 63%.
“This shift reflects a growing perception that technology is no longer just a tool for progress, it is also a source of anxiety,” Edelman Global Technology Chair Justin Westcott explained. “AI can be a force for progress, efficiency, and inclusion, but it will take deliberate action to ensure that people trust its potential as much as they believe in its power.”
As Americans’ exposure to AI grows, it’s clear that most of the country doesn’t trust the tech, either at home or in the workplace.
Read Next: Christians More Suspicious of Artificial Intelligence, New Survey Reveals
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