As applications of artificial intelligence (AI) continue to widen, there appears to be no end in sight to the technology’s progress. While advances in AI in areas like content creation have inspired hope in many, an Ipsos poll as early as last year suggests that slightly more people — 52% — are nervous about the possible undesired effects of AI products and services. This marks a 13-percentage-point rise from 2022, with people across the globe becoming "increasingly cognizant of and nervous about AI’s growing impact.
" Implications ranging from employment and personal privacy to society-wide or ethical concerns are major fears of people wary of AI eventually surpassing human creativity. While 57% of respondents expected AI to change how they perform their current job within the next five years, 36% expressed fear it could replace their job altogether in that timeframe. According to another recent survey by pollster Gallup, the second most prevalent concern among respondents, at 24%, revolves around the prospect of wage reductions.
About one-fifth of workers are troubled by a cluster of risks, with concerns ranging from potential technological replacement at 22%, to fears of layoffs at 20%, and reductions in working hours at 19%. But these concerns are not prevalent everywhere. The Ipsos study showed that in Indonesia, for instance, respondents were notably optimistic.
While 84% claimed a solid understanding of AI, 79% believed it would significantly change their lives .