AI Experts Share Worry About Misinformation, Not Job Losses

When it comes to the perceived risks and benefits of artificial intelligence, AI experts are far more excited about the new technology than the general public. According to survey data from the Pew Research Center, 47 percent of AI experts whose work or research relates to AI said that they’re more excited than concerned about the increased use of AI in daily life. Conversely, 51 percent of U.S. adults said they feel more concerned than excited about the rise of AI-powered services.

Looking at some specific concerns, experts share some of the public’s worries while broadly disregarding others. There is widespread concern about AI spreading inaccurate information, both among AI experts and the general public. Another shared concern is the risk of AI being used to impersonate people, for example by creating deepfakes. AI’s handling or potential mishandling of personal information is also a worry shared by regular Americans and AI experts, as is the potential for biases in decisions made by AI.

At the other end of the scale, job displacement, an often warned-about consequence of increased AI use, is a concern that many experts don’t share. While 56 percent of U.S. adults are extremely or very concerned about AI leading to job losses, only 25 percent of AI experts are worried about AI-related layoffs. Another area of disagreement, albeit to a lesser extent, is the impact that AI will have on human relationships. 57 percent of U.S. adults said they were extremely or very worried about AI leading to less connection between people. Among experts, only 37 percent of respondents shared this concern.

Overall, AI experts are far more positive than the U.S. public about the short- and long-term impact of artificial intelligence. While average Americans are quite concerned about possible negative outcomes of broad AI adoption, experts are more likely to see the potential of AI outweighing its risks. 56 percent of AI experts expect the net impact of AI in the United States to be positive over the next 20 years. This compares to just 17 percent of respondents from the general public, likely reflecting the gap in familiarity and understanding of this potentially life-changing technology.