Policymakers Should Capitalize on Positive Public Opinion To Promote Beneficial AI Use

AI critics often portray this technology as uniquely disruptive to society. The emergence of generative AI has exacerbated doomsayers’ predictions and generated new concerns, such as how AI could make bioterrorism “horrifyingly easy” or how AI is “destroying thousands of languages.” These narratives sometimes create a false sense that the public is more skeptical about AI’s risks than hopeful about its benefits, but the data suggests the opposite. Despite some concerns, Americans are by and large more positive about using AI innovation to shape a better future than they are afraid of the changes that AI will introduce in society. Policymakers should capitalize on these positive attitudes in the public to support adopting AI in the sectors where Americans see the most potential for a positive change.

Despite the abundance of dystopian warnings about how AI is coming after virtually everything and everyone, Americans hold a more nuanced and optimistic view of AI’s role in shaping their future. According to a recent nationally representative survey of public attitudes regarding AI in the United States, the most common feeling that Americans cited when thinking of AI was curiosity, followed by general interest. The majority of those who use a chatbot regularly—83 percent of respondents in this survey—said they found them helpful. Even accounting for the legitimate concerns that respondents shared, this picture suggests that for many Americans, the technology is still relatively new and interesting and that premature assessments and dystopian fears do not reflect the attitudes of most Americans.

Given this generally positive public attitude towards AI, policymakers should seize this opportunity to build public support for ambitious AI initiatives that accelerate the deployment of the technology. The survey showed that the three most cited benefits that Americans believe AI can provide are the acceleration of scientific development, carrying out boring or unpleasant parts of their jobs, and the easier detection of health conditions. Policymakers should therefore prioritize policies that address obstacles to data-driven drug design; support the adoption of AI in the workplace that increases productivity and allows workers to focus on meaningful work; and promote the deployment of AI tools for early disease detection.

The survey also revealed a clear generational divide in attitudes towards AI. Younger Americans, who have grown up in a world shaped by digital technologies, tend to view AI more favorably and use AI tools more often and more regularly than their older counterparts. This is particularly true for male users from different generations. For example, only three percent of male Americans 65 years of age and older reported using ChatGPT or other chatbots regularly in contrast to thirty percent of males between the ages of 18 and 24 who said the same. Another study on the attitudes of young adults and teens born between the mid-to-late 1990s and early 2010s— known as Gen Z—regarding ChatGPT in the workplace revealed that almost half of this cohort believe AI has made them more creative. Most Americans, from all age groups, believe that AI will make things better overall for the next generation.

To support young Americans’ growing interest in AI technologies, policymakers should first and foremost ensure that the new generation has the tools to understand, use, and innovate with AI. Providing resources to schools to teach AI literacy in K-12 education, for example, would bring the benefits of AI into the classroom. Policymakers should also support and provide funding for AI programs in universities to foster further research and innovation and provide the workforce that tomorrow’s innovation economy will need. Currently, universities are unable to match the growing interest in AI-related courses. Supporting the training of new educators and providing grants to incentivize AI-focused professors to stay in their jobs would lower the barrier for students who wish to specialize in AI or develop AI skills for other careers.

By considering the perspectives of younger generations who are more optimistic about AI, policymakers can help bridge the generational divide and create policies that shape society’s future for the better. While examining the potential risks of AI is important, it is crucial to make policy based on evidence and a careful, holistic consideration of the potential positive and negative impacts of proposed policies.

The American public is curious about AI. By taking a proactive stance and approaching AI policy with a spirit of problem-solving and innovation, rather than fear and restriction, policymakers can capitalize on public opinion and provide tangible benefits to Americans. The key is to consider public sentiment and relevant data, instead of fearmongering rhetoric when crafting AI policy.

Image credit: Annie Spratt