Most in new survey say AI could threaten humanity 

A majority of Americans in a new survey believe artificial intelligence (AI) could be dangerous for humanity.  

A Quinnipiac University Poll released Wednesday found 54 percent of Americans think AI will threaten humanity, while 31 percent responded they think it will help humanity. Among those who are employed, 24 percent responded they are very concerned or somewhat concerned AI could end up replacing their jobs.  

In contrast, 77 percent said they were not too concerned or not concerned at all about AI replacing their jobs.

“Will AI, be a force for good or a vehicle of destruction? With the exception of the youngest Americans, hands down, Americans think the latter,” Quinnipiac University polling analyst Tim Malloy said in a statement.  

A similar poll conducted by Reuters/Ipsos and released last week found that about 6 in 10 Americans viewed AI as a threat to humanity. These surveys come as concerns swirl about the potential negative effects AI could have on society as new AI programs, like ChatGPT, roll out. 

Lawmakers and technology experts have raised concerns about the rapid development of AI programs. Tesla CEO Elon Musk and a group of technology experts called for a six-month pause in advanced AI development earlier this year, warning the technology could pose “risks to society.” 

Musk said in an interview with CNBC last week there’s a chance AI “goes wrong and destroys humanity,” noting it is difficult to predict where technology goes next. 

The poll was conducted from May 18-22 among 1,819 U.S. adults and has a sampling error of plus or minus 2.3 percentage points.