U.S. teens think addressing the potential risks of artificial intelligence should be a top priority for lawmakers, according to a new poll that examines young people’s concerns about artificial intelligence in detail for the first time. are.
The poll, conducted by youth-led advocacy group Center for Youth and AI and polling organization YouGov and shared exclusively with TIME magazine, focused on long-standing issues such as social inequality and climate change. reveals comparable levels of concern.
The poll, conducted in late July and early August among 1,017 U.S. teens ages 13 to 18, found that 80% of respondents want lawmakers to address the risks posed by AI. found that they considered it “very” or “somewhat” important. In terms of issues they say are top priorities, they fall short of access and affordability of health care. This was higher than social inequality (78%) and climate change (77%).
Although the sample size is fairly small, it provides insight into how young people think about technology, which is often integrated into their lives from a young age. “I think our generation has a unique perspective,” says Saheb Gulati, 17, who co-founded the Center for Youth and AI with Jason Hausenroy, 19. “It’s not because we’re getting older, but specifically because of it.” Today’s teens have grown up with digital technology, so digital technology has a greater impact on society than older generations. Gulati says it faces questions about the impact.
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While there is more research being done on how young people are using AI to help or cheat with their schoolwork, Georgetown University’s Thrive Center assistant professor, who helped advise on analyzing the poll, said: Rachel Hanebatt says. It’s a bit superficial and doesn’t really focus on how teenagers and young adults think about AI and its role in the future, but I think that’s where this brings a lot of value. Masu. ”
The survey results show that nearly half of respondents use ChatGPT or a similar tool several times a week, another indication that teens are embracing AI faster than their parents. This is consistent with recent polls. But being an early adopter doesn’t necessarily translate into “full-throttle optimism,” Hausenloy said.
From the influence of social media algorithms to deepfake nudes, teenagers are at the center of much of the debate over artificial intelligence. This week it was revealed that a mother who allegedly became addicted to a chatbot before her son committed suicide is suing Character.ai and Google. But “13- to 18-year-olds are not necessarily fully represented in political polls,” Hanebatt said. Hannebutt said the research will allow adults to better understand “not just how they use AI, but also how teenagers and young adults think about AI and its role in the future.” He points out the need for future polls to examine teenagers’ expectations. Lawmakers need to address this issue.
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While the poll didn’t ask about specific policies, it did provide insight into the AI risks that most teens are concerned about, with immediate threats rising to the top of the list. AI-generated misinformation is the most common concern among respondents at 59%, followed closely by deepfakes at 58%. However, the poll revealed that many young people are also concerned about the long-term direction of technology, with 47% worried that advanced autonomous AI could escape human control. replied. Nearly two-thirds said they consider the impact of AI when planning their careers.
Mr Hausenloj said the poll was just the first step in the Youth Center and AI’s ambitions to ensure young people are “represented, equipped and protected” when it comes to AI.
The poll suggests that despite concerns in other areas, young people generally support AI-generated creative work. More than half (57%) of respondents supported AI-generated art, film, and music, while only 26% opposed it. Less than a third of teens are concerned about AI piracy.
When it came to the question about being friends with an AI, respondents were divided, with 46% saying it was acceptable to be friends with an AI, compared to 44% saying it was unacceptable. It was %. However, most teens (68%) are against having a romantic relationship with an AI, and only 24% think it is acceptable.
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“This is the first and most comprehensive look at young people’s attitudes towards AI that I’ve ever seen,” said Encode, a youth-led AI-focused civil society group that helped advise the study. Sneha Revanur, founder and president of Justice, says: question. Leverneur was the youngest person to participate in the White House Roundtable on AI in July 2023, and recently became the youngest person to participate in the 2024 World Economic Forum in Davos.
Up until now, Encode Justice had been speaking on behalf of their generation without backing up hard numbers, she said, but “we are armed with this data and the fact that there is actually a policy. Armed with this, we will go into future meetings with policymakers.”Significant numbers of young people are thinking about these risks. ”
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He cited California Senate Bill 1047, which would require AI companies to take safeguards to protect the public from potential harm from their technology, as an example of how the public’s concerns about technology were being ignored. ) are listed. “In California, Governor Gavin Newsom just vetoed a sweeping AI safety bill supported by a broad coalition that includes our organization Anthropic, Elon Musk, Hollywood actors, and labor unions. I just saw it,” Levana said. “This is the first time I’ve seen a split in the narrative that the public doesn’t care about AI policy. And I think this poll actually just added another crack in that narrative.”
