How Americans use AI and what they think about it

Pew published a report on how Americans use and view AI, and it’s quite interesting.

• Americans are much more concerned than excited about the increased use of AI in daily life, with a majority saying they want more control over how AI is used in their lives.

• Far larger shares say AI will erode than improve people’s ability to think creatively and form meaningful relationships.

• At the same time, a majority is open to letting AI assist them with day-to-day tasks and activities.

• Most Americans don’t support AI playing a role in personal matters such as religion or matchmaking. They’re more open to AI for heavy data analysis, such as for weather forecasting and developing new medicines.

• Americans feel strongly that it’s important to be able to tell if pictures, videos or text were made by AI or by humans. Yet many don’t trust their own ability to spot AI-generated content.

The share of younger Americans who say they have heard a lot about AI has grown rapidly in recent years. In 2022, one-third of adults under 30 said they had heard or read a lot about AI. In the new survey, 62% of these young adults say this, an increase of 29 points.

About six-in-ten U.S. adults under 30 (62%) have heard a lot about AI, compared with 32% of those 65 and older.