As Tech Prefers AI, Consumers Need More Persuasion

Interest in AI has never been higher. The idea of ​​artificial intelligence has fascinated people since the mechanical Turkish of the 18th century, but this period is different because the technology we have today makes advanced models of machine learning and deep learning – which we call colloquially AI – not only possible, but mainstream.

Yet the conversations and excitement around AI are still largely confined to tech circles. Consumer understanding of the concept is low, while skepticism is exorbitant. The only audiences interested and excited about the prospect of AI applications are those working in technology. Even younger consumers – usually the most technologically advanced – are divided, although they tend to be more aware of the various applications of AI.

Today, AI applications run in the background of everyday services. In the second quarter of this year, Google said that its investments in artificial intelligence technologies are already paying dividends for its research, translation and mapping services. Meanwhile, meta said AI apps were helping with content recommendations across all of its platforms. Generative AI models such as DALL·E 2, which creates award-winning works of art, enjoy a special moment with users.

But the possibilities are endless, as the AI ​​itself will tell you. We asked GPT-3.5, an AI-powered language model from OpenAI Research Lab, how artificial intelligence will benefit consumers, and in our “conversation,” the model returned a few paragraphs focused on its marketing and customer service capabilities. He hailed AI’s ability to “identify patterns of customer behavior and preferences, detect fraud and security threats, and track and analyze customer data.”

Not everyone understood how AI could be useful. We tested 28 potential applications of AI technology, current and in development, across eight different themes: generative, emulatory, social, entertainment, food and vacation, health, work and government, and the physical world. US consumers expressed moderate enthusiasm for most apps, but the ones they are most interested in are apps in the physical world, such as package delivery drones and food delivery robots that learn and adapt to their environment. AI apps that impersonate or impersonate people, like deepfakes, naturally garner the least support.

The degree to which consumers are enthusiastic about these apps is a consideration. Another is whether they think each will have a predominantly positive or negative impact on society. While many people are skeptical about using or experiencing AI applications themselves, there are a number of areas where they see AI can help, such as science, healthcare health and government.

That being said, concerns about the potential abuse of AI applications persist and differ based on people’s lived experiences. Overall, American adults tend to be the most concerned about the impact of AI applications on jobs – according to the previous Morning Consult to research — as well as data privacy, fake news, and the potential to harm U.S. interests. Racial discrimination in AI applications ranks near the bottom among all American adults, but is one of the most prominent concerns among black adults (46%) compared to white adults (40%).

While new waves of automation have historically made life easier in many ways, making business more profitable and unlocking products and services we could only imagine before, these times also come with their own concerns about what which could change for the worse. Society is now showing a similar reluctance to such advances, as well as concerns about their economic and social implications.

For brands entering this space, a healthy dose of circumspection about who will be impacted by these changes and how will go a long way to ensuring that the AI ​​applications we adopt are not only useful, but also ethical.