Key facts
- A Pew Research Center survey indicates that people in middle-income countries trust China more than the US or EU to regulate AI.
- The survey polled adults in Argentina, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Nigeria, the Philippines, South Africa, and Vietnam.
- Respondents in these countries expressed more confidence in China's ability to regulate AI responsibly compared to the US and EU.
- Concerns about AI's potential negative impacts, such as job displacement and misinformation, were prevalent across the surveyed nations.
A survey by the Pew Research Center reveals that residents of several middle-income countries place more trust in China's approach to regulating artificial intelligence than in that of the United States or the European Union. The findings, based on polls conducted in Argentina, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Nigeria, the Philippines, South Africa, and Vietnam, indicate a significant divergence in global perceptions of AI governance.
Across these nations, a majority of respondents expressed more confidence in China's ability to regulate AI responsibly. For instance, 80% of those surveyed in the Philippines and 77% in Kenya showed confidence in China's regulatory approach. Similar high levels of trust were recorded in Nigeria (76%), Indonesia (73%), India (71%), and South Africa (69%).
These results contrast sharply with the confidence levels expressed towards the US and the EU. In the Philippines, for example, only 35% of respondents trusted the US to regulate AI responsibly, and 33% trusted the EU. Similar patterns were observed across the other surveyed countries, with trust in Western regulatory frameworks lagging significantly behind that of China.
The survey also highlighted widespread concerns about the potential negative impacts of AI. A majority of respondents in all eight countries worried about AI leading to job losses and the spread of misinformation. These concerns underscore a global apprehension regarding the societal implications of advancing AI technologies, regardless of the perceived trustworthiness of their regulators.