More Americans Are In Favor Of AI Than Oppose It

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is likely one of the most significant breakthroughs of this century. But, it may also affect many aspects of life, from health care to warfare to jobs. A recent survey was done by the Center for the Governance of AI, located at the Future of Humanity Institute, University of Oxford, where they used survey firm YouGov. It was conducted between June 6 and 14, 2018, with a total of 2,000 American adults (ages 18+) who completed the survey.

The objective of the survey is to gauge the opinion of Americans about AI, and based on the results, there were more Americans in favor of AI than opposed it. However, opinions on different areas were mixed from one group to another. The survey described AI as "computer systems that perform tasks or make a decision that usually requires human intelligence." It shows that 41% of its respondents claim that they somewhat or strongly supported the development of AI.

The survey contains questions about workplace automation, international cooperation, and public trust in various sectors, especially those that will develop and regulate AI. Even though the survey results give us some preliminary insights as to the opinion of the U.S. public concerning AI, the study brought more questions than answers. This is why it would still require much work to interpret people’s mixed opinions about AI. 

The survey shows a strong consensus on the regulation of AI; 82% strongly agreed with the statement, "robots and artificial intelligence are technologies that require careful management." Then, regarding governance challenges, respondents ranked data privacy as one of the most important, as well as cyber-attacks and autonomous weapons. 

Concerning who should limit AI development, University researchers got the highest trust rating from respondents with 50%. The survey got mixed answers on whether AI should develop a high level of intelligence and have the common sense ability of a human. Other areas ranked higher are nuclear issues, recessions, terrorist acts, and infectious diseases. People are looking at these as possible problems over the next decade. 

The advancement of technology may have provided us with advantages in many areas, including healthcare, transport, and communication. Still, it can also bring negative results when not properly made or applied.