Daniel Colson, Founder of AI Policy Institute, discusses the public's concerns about AI's destructive potential, the need for regulation, and challenges around AI development including superhuman capabilities, bioterrorism risks, and power accumulation. Survey results highlight worries about the use of AI in war and the need for government intervention. They also explore the importance of including different demographics in AI conversations and the impact of AI on marginalized communities.
There is bipartisan fear about AI's destructive potential and a call for action from regulators.
Public concern about AI has been growing, fueled by political conversations and increased attention to the risks and consequences.
Deep dives
Public skepticism and concern about AI
The public is generally skeptical and concerned about the development of AI technology. A poll conducted earlier this year showed that 82% of the public is more concerned than excited about the direction AI is heading. There is bipartisan support for strict capability restrictions, with 71% of Democrats and 69% of Republicans supporting the prevention of AI from quickly reaching superhuman capabilities. However, there is a disconnect between public sentiment and the political discourse, as capability restrictions are not a priority in current policy discussions.
Increasing public concern and attention towards AI
There has been an upward trend in public concern regarding AI over the past few years. The rise in concern can be attributed to AI becoming a more prominent topic in political conversations and gaining more attention from the general public. As AI technology advances and becomes more important, the public's fears about its potential risks and consequences continue to grow.
Partisan divides on AI regulation
While there is bipartisan concern about AI's risks and capabilities, there is a divergence among policymakers on how to address the issue. Polling results indicate that Democrats and Republicans have different perspectives on regulating AI, with differing views on issues such as regulating AI in war or banning political ads containing AI deep fakes. However, there is still significant bipartisan support for regulations and strict oversight of AI, suggesting that AI regulation could become a major bipartisan issue in the future.
Plenty of people have opinions on artificial intelligence -- especially its potential risks and what to do about them. Daniel Colson’s AI Policy Institute has set out to measure those public attitudes through polls. On POLITICO Tech, Colson tells host Steven Overly that there’s bipartisan fear about AI’s destructive potential and argues those results ought to spur regulators into action.