LONDON—British people are more likely than not to think artificial intelligence (AI) will make things better for themselves personally, for their careers, and for the economy and society as a whole, according to a new nationwide survey conducted by Public First in partnership with the Center for Data Innovation. Yet two-thirds of Brits (66 percent) also think it is likely AI will increase unemployment, among other concerns.
The new nationally representative survey of over 2,000 UK adults, tracked shifts in public attitudes toward AI since Public First conducted a similar survey last year. It found that the most common emotion UK residents feel about AI is curiosity—as they did last year—but feelings of worry, anxiety, and fear have increased.
“Brits are becoming more familiar with AI applications in their everyday lives, but most don’t feel confident that they really understand the technology and there’s little consensus about the longer-term impact it might have on UK society,” said Amy Price, Public First’s Director for Technology Policy. “UK adults are instinctively nervous about a perceived lack of transparency – but quick to support AI adoption when a human is ‘in the loop’ and where the use case is clearly explained. For example, respondents were open to AI helping doctors make diagnoses, provided patients are kept informed and given a choice.”
About one-third of British adults (35 percent) reported using an AI chatbot at work, with 13 percent of full-time workers saying they now do so regularly. Additionally, 73 percent of UK residents say they would support AI-assisted health diagnostics if checked by a human, while more than one-quarter of adults under 35 (28 percent) are interested in the idea of having an AI girlfriend or boyfriend.
In terms of AI regulation, majorities of respondents voiced support for a range of near-term policy actions. Notably, 76 percent favored immediately implementing clear labeling for AI-generated content, and 70 percent favored holding AI companies legally accountable for negative technology outcomes.
Yet a solid majority of respondents (56 percent) believed that policymakers should move cautiously before creating new laws and regulations to avoid creating unintended consequences. The public was divided on whether the approach to AI should move responsibly at the expense of speed (43%), or fast to stay at the frontier (39%).
“Government and industry leaders must pay close attention to public sentiment on AI regulation to uphold the UK’s global AI leadership,” said Ayesha Bhatti, a London-based policy analyst with the Center for Data Innovation. “The UK has led by example with initiatives like the AI Safety Summit and the establishment of the AI Safety Institute, demonstrating a commitment to responsible AI governance and innovation. It’s clear that the public supports responsible AI development, yet there is a similar level of support for ensuring that the UK stays at the frontier of AI innovation to stay competitive globally. The decisions the government makes now will define the UK’s trajectory in the AI landscape.”
More key findings:
Today:
- 29 percent of British adults expect AI will make things better for themselves personally, versus 18 percent who think it will make things worse, while a 40 percent plurality think it will have no impact.
- A 39 percent plurality of Brits think AI will make things better for society as a whole, versus 31 percent who think it will make things worse, and 13 percent who think it will have no impact.
- Only 31 percent of UK adults feel confident explaining how modern AI models work.
- Approximately 13 percent of full-time UK workers regularly use LLM-based chatbots, and there was a notable increase in ChatGPT awareness over the past year.
Uses:
- While UK adults recognize AI’s potential to advance science and productivity, only 5 percent list increases worker wages among the important benefits that could come from AI.
- A majority of UK residents under 35 express interest in AI personal tutors, assistants, coaches, or financial advisors.
- Half of UK workers using AI tools learned to use them independently, but 42 percent of workers would prefer formal training to self-teaching.
- 65 percent of UK adults support AI diagnostics with user choice but oppose mandatory use.
Concerns:
- 66 percent of UK adults anticipate AI contributing to unemployment, with higher concern among higher-educated individuals.
- Fears about AI creating fake content for reputation harm are currently top UK concerns.
- Over half of UK residents (53 percent) lack confidence in detecting fake AI-generated content online, with concerns about AI being used to manipulate elections reaching 72 percent.
Future:
- 47 percent of UK residents believe AI could achieve human-level intelligence by the 2030s, level with 49 percent last year. By the 2040s, 39 percent foresee AI becoming ten times more intelligent.
- Only 21 percent of UK adults view creating superintelligence as a good idea, with 40 percent unaware it’s a goal for leading AI labs.
Policy:
- A majority of UK adults endorse various AI policies, such as clear labeling of AI content, legal liability for AI companies, restricting advanced AI tech exports, and transparent AI model disclosures.
- Banning new AI research emerged as the sole policy more UK adults opposed than supported.
- Views on prioritizing UK technological leadership versus responsible AI development are divided, with 39 percent favoring leadership and 43 percent advocating responsible development across demographics and political affiliations.
Read the full report here. (PDF)
Contact: Nicole Hinojosa, press@datainnovation.org
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The Center for Data Innovation is the leading global think tank studying the intersection of data, technology, and public policy. The Center formulates and promotes pragmatic public policies designed to maximize the benefits of data-driven innovation in the public and private sectors. It educates policymakers and the public about the opportunities and challenges associated with data, as well as technology trends such as open data, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things. The Center is a part of the nonprofit, nonpartisan Information Technology and Innovation Foundation. For more about the Center, visit datainnovation.org.
Public First is an independent, global policy, strategy, and opinion research consultancy. It combines public opinion expertise with deep knowledge of the policy landscape to deliver data-rich, coherent policy arguments that are ready to implement. Public First is a company partner of the Market Research Society and members of the British Polling Council. For more about Public First, visit publicfirst.co.uk.