Half of Americans think AI is a threat, the other half don't. Who's right?

As artificial intelligence moves from tech circles into daily life, Americans are sharply divided over what it means for the future.

A new Gallup survey finds that 49 percent of U.S. adults see AI as “just the latest in a long line of technological advancements that humans will learn to use to improve their lives and society.”

The same number, 49 percent, say it is “very different from the technological advancements that came before, and threatens to harm humans and society.”

Despite the split, most people expect AI to take over tasks that are creative or important, not just routine.

According to the poll, 59 percent of adults say AI will reduce the need for humans to perform important or creative tasks. Only 38 percent believe it will mainly take over mundane work, allowing humans to focus on higher-impact efforts.

That outlook may help explain why 64 percent of Americans say they plan to “avoid using AI in their own life for as long as possible.” Just 35 percent said they would be quick to embrace it.

Even with the hesitation, many believe AI will leave a bigger mark than some of the most transformative technologies in history.

About two-thirds (66 percent) think AI will have more influence on society than robotics. More than half say it will surpass the impact of the internet (56 percent), the computer (57 percent) and the smartphone (59 percent). And 52 percent believe it will go beyond the influence the telephone had when it first appeared.

Views about AI’s impact don’t vary much across gender, age, or other personal traits. But the more someone uses AI, the more likely they are to see it as helpful.

Seventy-one percent of people who use generative AI every day, tools like ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot, say it’s just another advancement humans will learn to use.

Only 35 percent of people who never use generative AI agree with that idea. That 36-point difference is larger than the gaps Gallup found with other kinds of AI use.

For example, there’s a 27-point difference between regular and non-users of virtual assistants, like Alexa or Siri, in whether they believe AI will benefit humans.

The difference is smaller, around 20 points, between users and nonusers of personalized content apps and smart devices.

Generative AI

Generative AI tools remain new for many people. Although ChatGPT became the fastest-growing app in history after its public release in 2022, fewer than one-third of adults say they use generative AI daily or weekly. About a quarter use it occasionally, while 41 percent don’t use it at all.

By comparison, older AI tools are used more widely. Voice assistants are used weekly by 45 percent of adults, smart devices by 41 percent, and personalized content tools by 65 percent.

When it comes to demographics, personalized content and voice assistants are fairly evenly used. Smart devices are more common among higher-income groups, people with college degrees, and those who are employed. Smart devices are also one of the few areas where women (44 percent) report using them more than men (37 percent).

Generative AI has sharper divides. Among adults aged 18 to 29, 43 percent use it daily or weekly. Only 19 percent of seniors say the same. Employed adults are nearly twice as likely as those not working to use generative AI regularly. And while men are more likely than women to use it overall (36 percent vs. 28 percent), that gap is wider in older age groups.

Gallup's findings suggest that how people see AI may depend less on who they are and more on whether they’ve used it. People who interact with AI regularly are more likely to believe it’s a normal step in technological evolution. Those with less exposure are more cautious or skeptical.

What’s your take on AI? Let us know what you think in the comments.