Americans fear AI will weaken creativity and human connections

While nearly all American adults have heard of AI, many doubt they can detect its output, and three-quarters say recognising AI content is vital.
A Pew survey reveals half of Americans think AI will weaken creativity and relationships, with most wanting more control over how the technology is used.

A new Pew Research Center survey shows Americans are more worried than excited about AI shaping daily life. Half of adults say AI’s rise will harm creative thinking and meaningful relationships, while only small shares see improvements.

Many want greater control over its use, even as most are willing to let it assist with routine tasks.

The survey of over 5,000 US adults found 57% consider AI’s societal risks to be high, with just a quarter rating the benefits as significant. Most respondents also doubt their ability to recognise AI-generated content, although three-quarters believe being able to tell human from machine output is essential.

Americans remain sceptical about AI in personal spheres such as religion and matchmaking, instead preferring its application in heavy data tasks like weather forecasting, fraud detection and medical research.

Younger adults are more aware of AI than older generations, yet they are also more likely to believe it will undermine creativity and human connections.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!