Americans hold favorable views on AI benefits despite concerns

Talk of artificial intelligence replacing workers, concerns over data centers and the potential for economic upheaval due to the technology have not prevented many Americans from viewing AI in a favorable light.

A recent HarrisX poll of more than 2,000 American voters nationwide revealed 56% maintain a “favorable view” about the beneficial aspects AI can provide, while 36% felt the opposite.

Other findings revealed 72% of those polled agreed AI could help people “spend less time on repetitive tasks,” with an additional 71% saying they believed “AI to be the start of a new industrial revolution.”

The limited poll was commissioned by the nonprofit advocacy group,  Build American AI, an offshoot of pro-tech super PAC Leading the Future. The outfit is primarily funded by industry operatives such as OpenAI President Greg Brockman and Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale.

Using the polling data, the group argues the results show “negative perceptions of AI” to be “overblown” as AI development advances.

“The American public is actually quite optimistic about the benefits AI will bring to their lives ― from medical breakthroughs to economic growth,” said Nathan Leamer, executive director of Build American AI.

“Our data shows there is a real opportunity for lawmakers, industry leaders and innovation advocates to engage Americans on the subjects they care about.”

Some of those subjects include using AI to cure disease, with 61% agreeing to the possibility, with another 64% believing AI would make the U.S “more competitive against China.” Similarly, 60% of respondents feel the technology could help America “reindustrialize and build more products domestically.”

However, when it comes to potential safety risks associated with AI, only 53% of pollsters felt America should “move quickly to build AI despite the risks” with foreign nations also pursuing it.