A recent poll from the Pew Research Center reveals that Americans are growing increasingly frustrated with artificial intelligence in everyday life. In June, over 5,000 US adults were surveyed, with 53 percent believing AI will “worsen people’s ability to think creatively,” and 50 percent saying it will harm our ability to form meaningful relationships, while only five percent think the opposite. Additionally, while 29 percent believe AI will enhance problem-solving skills, 38 percent feel it could degrade these abilities.
The poll underscores a rising sense of distrust and disillusionment with AI, as average Americans worry about its potential to hinder human creativity while the industry focuses on automating human labor for cost-efficiency. These “generally pessimistic” views have become more prevalent since OpenAI’s ChatGPT emerged nearly three years ago, the survey notes. Half of those surveyed expressed being “more concerned than excited” about AI’s increasing everyday presence, up from 37 percent in 2021. Only ten percent are “more excited than concerned,” showing a disparity between public sentiment and tech leaders’ optimistic perspectives on AI.
This issue is increasingly relevant as AI-generated content becomes harder to distinguish from reality. AI tools are now capable of producing photorealistic images, and text generators are increasingly “hallucinating facts” and convincing users of fictional information. According to Pew’s poll, 53 percent of respondents are “not too or not at all confident” in discerning whether content is AI-made or human-made. Yet, 76 percent believe it’s “extremely or very important” to accurately identify if content is created by AI or people.
The growing skepticism and lack of trust could be linked to rising tech literacy. A recent study in the Journal of Marketing found that AI’s most enthusiastic supporters tend to have only a shallow understanding of the technology. The study found that less AI-literate individuals are generally more receptive to it, suggesting that greater familiarity with AI diminishes its perceived “magic” and the “awe” it inspires.
Despite the negative sentiment, the tech industry continues to advocate for AI’s potential to bring about an “era of abundance,” as American venture capitalist and AI supporter Marc Andreessen stated in a 2024 blog post. Major companies actively promote AI, making it an inescapable part of daily life. Meanwhile, opposition to AI is intensifying as people increasingly express their dissatisfaction.
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