Has public perception of generative AI shifted?
A lot has happened in the world of generative artificial intelligence (AI). Countries are racing for AI supremacy, the technology has also pushed people to revisit what defines art and creativity and brands are now launching products and services integrated with generative AI - all of it with increasing focus on AI regulation.
Have recent developments around generative AI shifted people’s perception of the technology?
Data from YouGov Surveys: Serviced shows that nearly a third of all consumers (32%) across markets say they have a more positive opinion of generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini compared to opinions they held a year ago. Fewer than a quarter (22%) have a more negative opinion now, while 31% say their perception of the tools hasn’t changed at all.
Men are significantly more likely than women (36% vs. 28%) to say their perception of or thoughts on generative AI tools is more positive this year, compared to last. Nearly a quarter of women (24%) say it’s more negative now, while equal proportions of men and women (31% each) report no change in opinion.
Change in perception towards generative AI tools by market
More positive
Perceptions of generative AI have turned more positive this year compared to last among 60% of respondents in the UAE, closely followed by equal proportions of Indians and Indonesians (59% each). In Europe, Italians (29%) are the most likely to say they now have a more positive perception of generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini.
On the other hand, less than one in five Americans (17%) agree - the least likely across markets to say so.
More negative
Americans account for the largest proportion of respondents across all markets surveyed (40%) to say their opinions of generative AI tools have become more negative since last year. Britons (32%) and Canadians (30%) follow at a distant second and third respectively, while Singaporeans lead (13%) among Asian consumers surveyed.
No change in perception
Crowded section here, with respondents from a number of markets accounting for the largest proportion of those who report no change in opinion on generative AI tools. These include Danes (39%), Swedes (38%), Germans (38%) and Spanish (38%). Nearly two in five Singaporeans (37%) say their opinion has not changed since last year - the most likely to say so in Asia.
Also read:
Nearly a third of consumers think AI has improved workplace productivity
Understanding global attitudes towards generative AI
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Methodology: YouGov Surveys: Serviced provide quick survey results from
nationally representative or targeted audiences in multiple markets. The data is based on surveys of adults aged 18+ years in 17 markets with sample sizes varying between 505 and 2001 for each market. All surveys were conducted online in July 2024. Data from each market uses a nationally representative sample apart from Mexico and India, which use urban representative samples, and Indonesia and Hong Kong, which use online representative samples. Learn more about YouGov Surveys: Serviced.
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