NH residents use AI more, but fear job loss
A recent poll in New Hampshire indicates that while residents are increasingly using AI, they are largely pessimistic about its overall societal impact, particularly concerning job availability. The survey also found strong public opposition to data center development, with two-thirds of respondents opposing a data center in their town and 45% supporting a moratorium on such projects. The New Hampshire Legislature considered a data center development halt this year but did not reach a consensus.
The latest Granite State Poll from the University of New Hampshire Survey Center reveals a growing pessimism among New Hampshire residents regarding the overall impact of artificial intelligence on the U.S. Over the next decade, nearly two-thirds of respondents anticipate a negative effect, an increase from a previous poll. Concurrently, AI usage is rising, with 59% of workers and two-thirds of residents using AI in their professional and personal lives, respectively, although most use it sporadically and many report little to no productivity difference.
Optimism for AI's positive influence was only higher than pessimism in two categories: medical care, though declining, and workplace productivity, marginally. Conversely, significant concerns were raised about AI's effects on education, the economy, and particularly elections, where 55% predict a "very negative" impact. Seventy-two percent of residents believe AI will reduce job availability, and one in five fear losing their job to the technology within 10 years.
The survey also highlighted substantial public opposition to data center development. Two-thirds of respondents expressed opposition to a data center being built in their own town, while only one in five would support such a project. Furthermore, 45% of residents favored a halt on data center development, compared to 34% who opposed it. This sentiment aligns with legislative discussions earlier this year, where the New Hampshire Legislature considered a moratorium on data center development but ultimately could not reach a consensus. The poll indicated that opposition to data centers is more prevalent among younger individuals, women, socialists, and residents of specific regions like the North Country, Seacoast, and Connecticut Valley.