Survey evidence on public support for AI safety oversight

Area of Science:

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) Ethics
• Public Policy and AI Governance
• Societal Impact of Technology

Background:

• Growing expert discussions highlight AI safety concerns: misinformation, privacy invasion, job displacement, and criminal misuse.
• The need for robust safety measures in commercial AI development is increasingly recognized.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate public support for strict oversight of commercial artificial intelligence (AI) research safety.
• To identify demographic and attitudinal factors associated with preferences for AI regulation.

Main Methods:

• Conducted two exploratory studies in Germany and Spain with a combined sample size of 2864 participants.
• Analyzed public support for strict AI safety oversight.
• Examined correlations between support for oversight and factors such as age, innovativeness, and risk/time/altruistic preferences.

Main Results:

• The general public largely supports strict oversight for the safety of commercial artificial intelligence research.
• Key factors associated with support for strict oversight include: age, anticipated job displacement, innovativeness, and risk, time, and altruistic preferences.

Conclusions:

• Public opinion indicates a strong demand for stringent safety regulations in commercial AI.
• Understanding individual differences in attitudes towards AI is crucial for developing effective AI governance strategies.