The world is optimistic about AI. Americans don’t share the feeling.
Americans are more skeptical about AI than people in other countries, fearing job loss, increased electricity prices, and diluted art value. This skepticism is linked to a lack of a positive vision for AI in the U.S. and is reflected in community resistance to data center construction. A protest against data center legislation occurred in Austin, Texas.
The article explores the striking disparity in public sentiment towards Artificial Intelligence (AI) between the United States and other global regions. While countries like China and South Korea view AI as a positive tool for economic growth, a majority of Americans express skepticism, fearing job loss, rising electricity prices, and a devaluation of art. This apprehension in the U.S. is evident in community resistance to data center construction, the physical infrastructure supporting AI, and warnings from the Department of Homeland Security about anti-technology extremism, exemplified by a protest against data center legislation in Austin, Texas.
Experts attribute this difference to the contrasting narratives surrounding AI's rollout. Sha Sajadieh, who leads the AI Index at the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence, notes that only about 3 in 10 Americans trust their government to regulate AI, the lowest among 35 surveyed countries. Ranjit Singh, director of Data & Society’s AI on the Ground program, suggests that unlike other nations where AI is linked to solving specific national problems (e.g., economic diversification in Saudi Arabia, elder care in Japan, or "leapfrogging" development in India), the U.S. has not offered a clear, positive vision for AI beyond competitiveness with China, with tech executives even predicting widespread job loss.
Baobao Zhang, an associate professor at Syracuse University, highlights that U.S. AI development often focuses on theoretical milestones like artificial general intelligence, while other countries prioritize tangible improvements in areas like healthcare and education. This focus on potential harms rather than benefits, combined with a feeling among Americans that they lack control over AI's integration into their lives, contributes to the prevailing apprehension.