Use of AI tools including ChatGPT is “minimal” despite the hype surrounding the tech, a survey has found.
The joint Reuters Institute and Oxford University study reveals that despite the ongoing excitement around the potential of artificial intelligence tools — and the warnings they are powerful enough to take millions of jobs — they are not regularly used in major markets.
Out of 12,000 respondents from six countries, including Britain, only two percent of those polled in the U.K. reported daily use of AI products.
But the study highlighted how younger generations are defying the trend, with 18- to 24-year-olds showing the highest enthusiasm for adopting the tech.
Dr. Richard Fletcher, the report’s lead author, told the BBC there is a significant “mismatch” between the AI “hype” and actual “public interest.”
“Large parts of the public are not particularly interested in generative AI, and 30 percent of people in the U.K. say they have not heard of any of the most prominent products, including ChatGPT,” he added.
Generative AI — which includes products capable of producing human-like text, images, audio and video from simple prompts — gained widespread attention with the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022.
The milestone triggered intense competition among tech giants, leading to substantial financial investments aimed at developing their own generative AI capabilities.
The new study also delved into public feelings on the potential impacts of generative AI.
While many anticipate significant societal changes within the next five years from AI — especially in news, media, and science — opinions on whether these changes will be beneficial vary hugely.
Most believe generative AI will improve their personal lives, but there is widespread skepticism about its overall societal benefits.
“People are generally optimistic about the use of generative AI in science and health care but [are] more wary about it being used in news and journalism — and worried about the effect it might have on job security,” Dr. Fletcher said.
