A new study reveals that AI scientists are viewed more negatively than climate scientists or scientists in general, with concerns about the prudence of AI research driving this perception.
With the emergence of ChatGPT and other AI technologies in late 2022, public interest in artificial intelligence has surged. A recent study by researchers from the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) of the University of Pennsylvania sheds light on how Americans perceive AI and its scientists. The findings, published in PNAS Nexus, reveal that AI scientists are viewed more negatively than their counterparts in climate science and science in general.
The researchers surveyed a national probability sample of U.S. adults, focusing on a rubric known as “Factors Assessing Science’s Self-Presentation” (FASS). This framework evaluates perceptions of credibility, prudence, unbiasedness, self-correction and benefit.
The study finds that negative perceptions of AI are primarily driven by concerns about the prudence of AI scientists, particularly the fear that AI research may lead to unintended consequences.
“Identifying negative perceptions can help guide messaging about new science,” lead author Dror Walter, an associate professor of digital communication at Georgia State University and an APPC distinguished research fellow, said in a news release.
He added that “the public unease about AI’s potential to create unintended consequences invites transparent, well-communicated ongoing assessment of the effectiveness of self or governmental regulation of AI.”
While perceptions of climate science have long been influenced by political dynamics, such as partisan disagreements, the study reveals that perceptions of AI have not yet been similarly polarized.
“Our research suggests that AI has not been politicized in the U.S., at least not yet,” Walter added.
Co-authors of the study include Yotam Ophir, an associate professor of communication at the University of Buffalo, Patrick E. Jamieson, the director of APPC’s Annenberg Health and Risk Communication Institute, and Kathleen Hall Jamieson, the director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center.
Given the increasing presence of AI in everyday life from 2024 to 2025, the researchers anticipated that public perceptions would improve as familiarity grew. However, the study found no significant improvement in these perceptions over this period.
Source: Annenberg Public Policy Center, University of Pennsylvania