AI image. Reuters Yonhap News. 

Americans' outlooks on the future brought by artificial intelligence (AI) technology are divided.

According to a survey conducted from the 2nd to the 18th of last month among 3,154 American adults by AP and the University of Chicago's National Opinion Research Center (NORC), approximately 25% responded that AI would be beneficial to individuals when asked whether AI would be helpful or harmful to individuals.

Similarly, the proportion of respondents who believed AI would harm them was almost the same, with the remaining half stating that it would not significantly impact their lives or that they were unsure.

Amanda Hernandez, a 24-year-old Democratic supporter living in California, expressed concern, saying, "As AI continues to grow and develop, I worry that cashiers or service staff will become obsolete."

A woman living in Minnesota described it as a "black box," stating, "I truly have no idea what will happen in the future."

AP reported that the tendency to believe AI would cause more harm than good was stronger when considering its impact on the environment, economy, and society as a whole over the next decade.

Specifically, approximately 40% of respondents said they were "extremely" or "very" concerned about the environmental impact of AI.

AP noted that this figure is higher than the percentage of Americans who have previously expressed concern about the environmental impact of cryptocurrency mining, meat production, and the aviation industry.

Aiden Collins, a 26-year-old Democratic supporter from New York, pointed out that AI uses an "absurd amount" of energy and said, "The fact that all this energy is used and negatively impacts climate change feels truly terrible to me."

Aaron Guno, a 29-year-old independent voter living in Ohio, criticized the surge in electricity demand powered by fossil fuels, stating, "They are not taking any measures to restore it cleanly; they are just continuing to build more."

In contrast, James Horner, a 52-year-old Republican supporter residing in South Carolina, said AI would "benefit everyone," adding, "When supercomputers process all that data, it can help in all fields, including healthcare and the environment, and if it's used correctly, it will bring good results."

Yonhap News