Difference in and Influences on Public Opinion About Artificial Intelligence in 20 Economies: Reducing Uncertainty Through Awareness, Knowledge, and Trust

Ronald E. Rice, Ming-Yi Wu

Abstract


This study examines how demographics (sex, age, education, religiousness), public (institutional) trust, support for science, science news use, and economy-level differences shape public opinion about artificial intelligence (AI) across and within 20 economies. According to the diffusion of innovations theory, uncertainty about an innovation may be reduced through awareness, knowledge, and trust, influencing opinions about its general social implications. Based on responses from 32,330 adults across 20 economies in a Pew survey, public opinion on whether AI is good for society ranged from 43.4% to 84.5%, with a mean of 65.0%. ANCOVA and binary logistic regressions—explaining the overall variance of 14% and 19%, respectively—show that all proposed influences were significantly associated with AI opinion, though with small effect sizes. The associations between awareness of and trust in institutions and science news with general opinion about AI and society are fairly consistent. The 20 economies explained 5% to 7% of the variance in opinion.


Keywords


artificial intelligence, diffusion of innovations, multieconomy, public trust, science media

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