A new survey has found that only a handful of people regularly use AI-powered tools such as ChatGPT, Copilot and Gemini. Researchers from the Reuters Institute and Oxford University surveyed around 12,000 people and noted that 18-24 year olds are the most enthusiastic about using new technology.
The online survey, conducted in Argentina, Denmark, France, Japan, the US and the UK, found that just 2% of Brits surveyed said they use AI-powered tools on a daily basis.
The survey, which focuses on generative AI tools like ChatGPT, suggests that optimists say the new technology will boost economic growth and help invent new, life-saving medicines, while pessimists claim that AI is an existential threat to humanity. And when asked whether AI will make their lives better or worse, most people remain pessimistic.
In a statement BBCDr Richard Fletcher, lead author of the study, said there was a “mismatch” between the “hype” about AI and “public interest” in the technology. “People are generally optimistic about the use of generative AI in science and medicine, but are more wary of its use in news and journalism, and worry about the impact it will have on job security,” he added.
Fletcher also noted that a large portion of the general public isn't interested in AI, with 30% of UK respondents surveyed saying they had never heard of AI tools like ChatGPT.
While AI has been around for a while, the technology has only recently been popularized by tools like ChatGPT from OpenAI. Chatbots can take text and images as input and respond to user questions in a natural, human-like manner.
