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The public and experts are far apart in their enthusiasm and predictions for AI. But they share similar views in wanting more personal control and worrying regulation will fall short
With artificial intelligence no longer the stuff of science fiction, its benefits and risks are being debated by everyone from casual observers to scholars. A new Pew Research Center report examines the views of two key groups: the American public and experts in the field of AI.
These surveys reveal both deep divides and common ground on AI. AI experts are far more positive than the public about AI’s potential, including on jobs. Yet both groups want more personal control of AI and worry about lax government oversight.
Still, opinions among experts vary, with men more optimistic about AI than women.
Here are the key findings from surveys of U.S. adults and AI experts conducted in 2024, and in-depth interviews with experts.
Key findings
Experts are far more positive and enthusiastic about AI than the public. For example, the AI experts we surveyed are far more likely than Americans overall to believe AI will have a very or somewhat positive impact on the United States over the next 20 years (56% vs. 17%).
And while 47% of experts surveyed say they are more excited than concerned about the increased use of AI in daily life, that share drops to 11% among the public.
By contrast, U.S. adults as a whole – whose concerns over AI have grown since 2021 – are more inclined than experts to say they’re more concerned than excited (51% vs. 15% among experts).
Jump to: Who did we define as “AI experts” and how did we identify them?
Larger shares of experts than of U.S. adults see AI as personally beneficial. Far more of the experts we surveyed believe these technologies will benefit (76%) rather than harm (15%) them personally.
The public is far more likely to think AI will harm them (43%) than benefit them (24%). Still, one-third say they’re unsure.
Public optimism is low regarding AI’s impact on work. While 73% of AI experts surveyed say AI will have a very or somewhat positive impact on how people do their jobs over the next 20 years, that share drops to 23% among U.S. adults.
Large gaps are also present in views about AI’s effect on the economy, medical care, education and art.
Both groups are skeptical of AI’s role in news and elections. Only about one-in-ten U.S. adults and experts think AI will have a positive impact on elections. Small shares in each group say the same for news.
Similar shares of the public and experts want more control and regulation of AI. More than half of U.S. adults (55%) and a similar share of AI experts (57%) say they want more control over how it is used in their lives. And those in both groups worry more that government regulation of AI will be too lax than overly excessive.
There are notable gender differences in the way people view AI, but these gaps are more pronounced among experts we surveyed.
Our previous surveys of U.S. adults have shown that women are often more wary than men about AI. This is true in the current survey. For example, 22% of men think AI will positively impact the U.S., compared with 12% of women.
These differences are even wider among the experts surveyed: 63% of men say AI’s impact on the U.S. over the next two decades will be very or somewhat positive, compared with 36% of women.
Among experts, men are also more likely than women to say they’re more excited than concerned about AI (53% vs. 30%) or think AI will personally benefit them (81% vs. 64%).
Views also vary based on the type of sector experts work in, particularly on AI and corporate responsibility. Six-in-ten experts at colleges or universities have little to no confidence in U.S. companies to responsibly develop and use AI, versus 39% of those at private companies or businesses who say this.
These are the key findings from a survey of 5,410 U.S. adults, conducted Aug. 12-18, 2024; and a separate survey of 1,013 AI experts conducted Aug. 14-Oct. 31, 2024. Below, we dive deeper into a few key areas from our findings: AI and jobs; concerns, bias and representation; and regulation and responsible AI.
Who did we define as ‘AI experts’ and how did we identify them?
For this project, we defined “AI experts” as individuals who demonstrate expertise via their work or research in artificial intelligence or related fields. We focused only on those who live in the United States. Expert responses are unweighted and only representative of the views of those who responded.
To identify these individuals, we created a list of authors and presenters at 21 AI-focused conferences from 2023 and 2024. This list was developed in consultation with project advisers.
We aimed to capture a broad range of perspectives and expertise related to AI. The conferences covered topics including research and development, application, business, policy, social science, identity and ethics.
Center researchers used public information and an email finder service to identify authors and presenters who lived in the U.S. and collect email addresses. To be eligible for the survey, experts had to confirm 1) their work or research relates to AI, machine learning or related topics and 2) that they live in the U.S.
The study was not designed to estimate the demographics of the AI workforce, and responses received may reflect choices in sample design as well as nonresponse. Refer to Appendix A for the demographic breakdown of responses received.
We did not receive enough responses from Hispanic or Black experts to be able to report expert views by race and ethnicity; this reflects the racial and ethnic makeup of the field. These groups’ responses are incorporated into the general figures throughout.
We also did not receive enough responses from experts working at nonprofits, in government or self-employed to break out these groups separately. Their responses, too, are included in general figures.
To help make sure we heard from a range of voices, we also conducted 30 in-depth interviews with experts who responded to the survey.
Please refer to the methodology for more information, including a list of which conferences were included and detail on the steps taken to select and survey these experts.
AI and jobs
How AI will impact jobs has sparked debate and disagreement – as well as worry among workers. AI is already automating many jobs and threatening others. Others see it as creating new opportunities.
Throughout our prior work, the public has been wary about AI’s role in job loss. In our current survey, 64% of the public thinks AI will lead to fewer jobs over the next 20 years.
Far fewer experts surveyed say the same (39%). When we ask about specific jobs, though, we find some common ground.
Some jobs – like cashiers – are widely viewed as at risk. About three-quarters of U.S. adults and AI experts alike say that over the next 20 years, AI will lead to fewer jobs of this kind in the U.S. About half or more also say this for journalists, software engineers and factory workers.
On the other hand, while 62% of experts expect fewer jobs for truck drivers, this drops to 33% among the public.
And the public is more likely than the experts we surveyed to expect AI-related job loss for occupations like musicians, teachers and medical doctors. Fewer than half of U.S. adults and experts alike say there will be job loss in each of these areas, though.
Public uncertainty is a factor. The shares of U.S. adults who say they’re unsure range from 13% to 26%, depending on the job.
AI-related concerns, bias and representation
We also asked about some specific concerns people might have about AI. Continuing the theme on jobs, we find the public more anxious than experts about job loss (56% vs. 25% are extremely or very concerned). We also find:
- Inaccurate information, impersonation and data misuse are common worries for both experts and the public. For example, 66% of adults overall and 70% of experts are highly concerned about people getting inaccurate information from AI.
- The public is more worried about loss of human connection. While 57% of the public is highly concerned about AI leading to less connection between people, this drops to 37% among the experts we surveyed.
Bias in decisions made by AI is also a concern for experts and the public (55% each say they’re highly concerned).
Race, ethnicity and gender often dominate discussions on AI, bias and discrimination – from hiring algorithms to medical decision-making.
One way AI companies are dealing with potential racial and gender biases in their models is by improving how models are trained. There are also growing calls for more diverse workforces to counteract bias. These efforts, though, have been met with pushback as companies scale back these initiatives.
We first asked the public how they view the representation of various groups in AI design in 2021. In this survey, we explored how public and expert views compare on these same questions.
Both experts and the public see men’s views as better represented in AI design than the views of women. For example, 75% of experts say the people who design AI take men’s perspectives into account at least somewhat well – but 44% say this about women’s views.
The public also sees men’s views as better represented than women’s, even as about four-in-ten are unsure.
White adults’ views are seen as well-represented in AI design relative to other racial and ethnic groups. About three-quarters of experts say the perspectives of White adults are well-accounted for. Half say this about Asian adults’ perspectives, and even smaller shares say this about views of Black or Hispanic adults.
Among the public, four-in-ten say the perspectives of White adults are well-represented. A quarter or fewer think this about the perspectives of Asian, Black or Hispanic adults.
The public is far more unsure than the experts we surveyed on this topic, with about four-in-ten or more U.S. adults expressing uncertainty. Still, some experts surveyed are also unsure.
Quotes from AI experts: Bias and representation
“I think women, Black women, women of color [are] definitely very underrepresented. People with disabilities are underrepresented … it’s mainly straight White men or men of color who are really investing and excited about these technologies, but … [when] people start to get replaced by technology, it’s always going to affect those underrepresented groups first.” – Black expert
“We do not have any African Americans in the department at all … we need to bring these people in so they have a seat at the table. … If it’s the same person over and over again … that is very narrow-minded … I wish that there were more representation, and they would put more focus on that. But … I do see basically the same kind of people over and over again.”– Hispanic expert
Regulation and responsible AI
Questions of who should regulate AI – and how much – are on the minds of lawmakers amid an evolving political climate.
When we asked experts and the public about this topic, we found common ground in their views.
Both the public and experts largely worry the U.S. government will not go far enough in regulating AI. About six-in-ten U.S. adults and 56% of experts surveyed say they’re more concerned about this than about the government going too far.
By political party, among U.S. adults
Majorities in both parties are more concerned about insufficient regulation, though Democrats are more likely than Republicans to say so (64% vs. 55%). (Both groups include those who lean toward the respective party.)
Experts and the public aren’t confident that the government will regulate AI effectively: 62% of U.S. adults and 53% of the experts we surveyed say they have not too much or no confidence.
They are also largely skeptical of industry efforts around responsible AI: 59% of the public and 55% of surveyed experts have not too much or no confidence in U.S. companies to develop and use AI responsibly.
By job sector, among AI experts
And experts at colleges and universities are far less confident in companies’ efforts than their industry peers:
- 60% of experts at colleges or universities have little to no confidence that companies will develop and use AI responsibly.
- 39% of those at private companies or businesses say the same.
Expert confidence in government is similar across these two groups.
Quotes from AI experts: Regulation and responsible AI
“It seems like when you look at these … congressional hearings, they don’t understand it at all. I don’t know that I have faith that they would be able to bring on enough experts to understand it enough to regulate it, but I think it’s very important.” – Expert working at a college or university
“I think [companies] have a ton of responsibility. Unfortunately, I don’t think necessarily that … responsibility plays as high of a role in their decision-making of what they’re going to pursue and how quickly they’re going to release something.” – Expert working at a private company or business
Guide to this report
The chapters of this report go into more detail on public and expert views. Jump to each to learn more about: