Survey Finds Americans Despise When AI Makes Decisions for Them

Public sentiment on AI decision-making: A recent Consumer Reports survey reveals widespread discomfort among Americans regarding the use of artificial intelligence in making important decisions across various sectors.

• The survey, conducted in the summer, polled over 2,000 Americans on their attitudes towards AI-driven decision-making in job hiring, banking, renting, medical diagnoses, and surveillance.
• A significant majority of respondents expressed unease with AI’s role in these crucial areas, highlighting a growing concern about the technology’s expanding influence.

Job interview concerns: The use of AI in job interviews emerged as a particularly contentious issue, with a vast majority of respondents expressing discomfort.

• 72% of those surveyed said they would be uncomfortable with AI scanning their faces and answers during job interviews.
• An even more striking 45% reported being “very uncomfortable” with this concept, underscoring the deep-seated reservations about AI’s role in employment decisions.

Financial and housing applications: The survey also revealed substantial concerns about AI’s involvement in financial and housing decisions.

• Approximately two-thirds of respondents expressed discomfort with financial institutions using AI to determine loan eligibility.
• A similar percentage were uncomfortable with landlords employing AI to assess rental eligibility, with nearly 40% stating they were “very uncomfortable” with this potential application.

Surveillance and medical applications: AI’s use in surveillance and healthcare also raised significant concerns among respondents.

• More than half of the surveyed Americans expressed discomfort with AI facial recognition surveillance, with about one-third being “very uncomfortable” with the concept.
• In the medical field, half of the respondents said they would be uncomfortable with AI being used for medical diagnoses and treatment planning.

Transparency and data concerns: The survey highlighted a strong desire for transparency and control over AI decision-making processes.

• An overwhelming 83% of respondents said they would want to know what data the AI algorithms were trained on when making decisions about them.
• Even more significantly, 91% expressed a desire to have a way to correct data when it was wrong, indicating a strong preference for human oversight and intervention in AI systems.

Contrasting industry trends: Despite public reservations, some businesses and government entities are moving forward with AI implementation in decision-making processes.

• California Governor Gavin Newsom announced partnerships with five AI firms to test generative AI in government agencies covering transportation, public health, housing, and taxes.
• In the private sector, companies like McKinsey and Deutsche Bank are embracing AI technologies for decision-making, potentially risking the replication of historical biases in new, algorithmic forms.

Public sector resistance: Some government AI initiatives have faced pushback from concerned citizens.

• A similar AI project undertaken by New York City’s housing department was met with successful tenant protests, demonstrating the potential for public resistance to such technologies.

Broader implications: The survey results highlight a significant gap between public sentiment and the direction of AI implementation in both public and private sectors.

• The overwhelming preference against decision-making AI suggests a need for more careful consideration and public dialogue about the role of AI in society.
• However, if recent trends continue, it seems likely that many organizations will pursue AI implementation despite these concerns, potentially leading to increased tension between technological advancement and public trust.