Artificial intelligence concerns more Americans than it excites, although few think the technology will have a significant impact on their jobs, according to a pair of studies released Monday by a Washington, D.C. think tank.

In an attitude survey of 11,201 U.S. adults, the Pew Research Center found that more than half of Americans (52%) feel more concerned than excited about the increased use of artificial intelligence. That’s 14 points higher than in December 2022, when AI concerned only 38% of surveyed Americans.

“A 14-point movement in the span of eight months is a notable shift in public opinion,” Pew’s Associate Director of Research Alec Tyson told TechNewsWorld.

Meanwhile, in an experience study of 5,057 adults, Pew found that five out of eight Americans (63%) who have heard of ChatGPT believe generative AI chatbots will have a minor impact (36%) or no impact all (27%) on their jobs.

“The two surveys seem to offer contradictory findings,” said Greg Sterling, co-founder of Near Media, a news, commentary, and analysis website.

“Most people don’t appear to be worried about their specific jobs, but Americans in general are worried about the broader impact of AI on society,” he told TechNewsWorld.

“I think the concerns partly stem from a lack of understanding or a lack of control,” he said. “AI has also been routinely portrayed in fiction and the movies as a malevolent influence.”

Bad Press

The media has also contributed to stoking concern about AI, maintained Rob Enderle, president and principal analyst at the Enderle Group, an advisory services firm in Bend, Ore.

“It is the nature of news coverage to accentuate aspects of a product that create controversy,” he told TechNewsWorld. “You make money from attention, and articles that talk about risks pull better than articles that talk about benefits.”

Daniel Castro, director of the Center for Data Innovation in Washington, D.C., a think tank studying the intersection of data, technology, and public policy, agreed.