Key facts
- About 68% of Americans who use AI daily are worried about it, according to a Gallup survey.
- 74% of Americans reported feelings of worry about AI.
- Only 36% of Americans expect AI to mostly help the country.
- In Singapore, 46% of people use AI daily, and over 80% expect the tech to improve their lives.
- In China, 35% of people use AI daily, and most expect it to help the country.
- Only 45% of daily AI users in the U.S. expressed confidence in AI's results.
A new survey indicates that even Americans who use artificial intelligence daily are concerned about its implications, challenging the assumption that widespread adoption equates to unqualified public enthusiasm. The Gallup study, commissioned by Microsoft, polled approximately 1,000 individuals in each of 37 countries between April and July, with plans to expand to 140 countries.
In the United States, 68% of daily AI users expressed worry about the technology, a sentiment that rises to 74% among all Americans. Only 36% of Americans anticipate AI will primarily benefit the country. Western nations, including Canada, also show a pattern of frequent use coupled with significant concern.
Conversely, countries like Singapore and China report higher levels of optimism. Singapore, with the highest daily user rate at 46%, saw over 80% of those aware of AI expecting it to improve their lives and benefit the nation. China, where 35% use AI daily, also shows a majority expecting positive national impact.
Trust in AI's accuracy varies, with daily users generally showing more confidence, particularly in countries with high adoption rates like Singapore, Israel, and China. However, even in the U.S., only 45% of daily users expressed strong confidence in AI's results. Overall, positive emotions like curiosity, happiness, and excitement about AI outweigh worry across most surveyed countries, with China, Singapore, and Kenya reporting the highest levels of positivity.
Recent developments, including significant layoffs in the tech sector to invest in AI, warnings from AI leaders about job displacement, and discussions about AI's impact on political and security environments, underscore the growing public discourse around AI's potential risks. China's head of the Ministry of State Security, Chen Yixin, noted AI's potential "systemic impact on the political and security environment." The complexity of attitudes is highlighted by Gallup senior scientist Pablo Diego-Rosell, who stated that people can be curious and expect benefits while still being worried, and see potential while remaining skeptical about accuracy.