THIS ARTICLE IS republished from The Conversation underneath a Creative Commons license.
The speedy unfold of synthetic intelligence has folks questioning: Who’s probably to embrace AI of their each day lives? Many assume it’s the tech-savvy—those that perceive how AI works—who’re most desperate to undertake it.
Surprisingly, our new analysis, printed within the Journal of Marketing, finds the alternative. Individuals with much less information about AI are literally extra open to utilizing the know-how. We name this distinction in adoption propensity the “decrease literacy-higher receptivity” hyperlink.
This hyperlink exhibits up throughout totally different teams, settings, and even international locations. As an illustration, our evaluation of data from market research company Ipsos spanning 27 international locations reveals that folks in nations with decrease common AI literacy are extra receptive towards AI adoption than these in nations with larger literacy.
Equally, our survey of US undergraduate college students finds that these with much less understanding of AI usually tend to point out utilizing it for duties like tutorial assignments.
The explanation behind this hyperlink lies in how AI now performs duties we as soon as thought solely people may do. When AI creates a chunk of artwork, writes a heartfelt response, or performs a musical instrument, it might really feel nearly magical—prefer it’s crossing into human territory.
In fact, AI doesn’t actually possess human qualities. A chatbot would possibly generate an empathetic response, nevertheless it doesn’t really feel empathy. Individuals with extra technical information about AI perceive this.
They understand how algorithms (units of mathematical guidelines utilized by computer systems to hold out explicit duties), coaching knowledge (used to enhance how an AI system works), and computational fashions function. This makes the know-how much less mysterious.
Alternatively, these with much less understanding might even see AI as magical and awe inspiring. We recommend this sense of magic makes them extra open to utilizing AI instruments.
Our research present this decrease literacy-higher receptivity hyperlink is strongest for utilizing AI instruments in areas folks affiliate with human traits, like offering emotional help or counseling. On the subject of duties that don’t evoke the identical sense of humanlike qualities—akin to analyzing check outcomes—the sample flips. Individuals with larger AI literacy are extra receptive to those makes use of as a result of they give attention to AI’s effectivity, relatively than any “magical” qualities.
It’s Not About Functionality, Concern, or Ethics
Curiously, this hyperlink between decrease literacy and better receptivity persists regardless that folks with decrease AI literacy usually tend to view AI as much less succesful, much less moral, and even a bit scary. Their openness to AI appears to stem from their sense of marvel about what it might do, regardless of these perceived drawbacks.
This discovering presents new insights into why people respond so differently to emerging technologies. Some research counsel consumers favour new tech, a phenomenon known as “algorithm appreciation,” whereas others present skepticism, or “algorithm aversion.” Our analysis factors to perceptions of AI’s “magicalness” as a key issue shaping these reactions.
These insights pose a problem for policymakers and educators. Efforts to boost AI literacy would possibly unintentionally dampen folks’s enthusiasm for utilizing AI by making it appear much less magical. This creates a tough steadiness between serving to folks perceive AI and maintaining them open to its adoption.
