A new survey conducted by the North Texas Quality of Life Initiative found that nearly half of North Texans polled stated they were “uneasy” about the increasing use of artificial intelligence in people’s lives.
The poll, released Tuesday by the University of Texas at Dallas, asked 1,980 adults across Collin, Dallas, Denton, and Tarrant counties several questions regarding the integration of AI into a variety of areas, ranging from weather forecasting to mental healthcare and spiritual counsel.
When asked whether “increasing use of AI will better or worsen people’s ability to think independently and creatively,” nearly 60 percent of respondents leaned towards worsen, while a little more than 17 percent stated AI would better independent and creative thinking.
Respondents also expressed concern regarding AI’s influence on making “good decisions” and solving problems, with about half saying the technology would worsen both skills.
However, a greater number of respondents stated that AI would actually improve people’s problem-solving skills rather than have no impact, while fewer respondents said AI would improve the ability to make good decisions rather than have no influence.
When asked to choose one word to describe their “feelings about increasing use of AI in people’s lives,” about 56 percent of respondents said they were either “uneasy” or “afraid,” while about 32 percent said they were “hopeful” or “enthusiastic.” Around 12 percent indicated no feeling at all about the question.
Opinion varied to a greater extent regarding artificial intelligence’s integration into different practices, with respondents generally supporting the use of AI in more data-driven and analytical disciplines.
When asked whether AI should be more or less involved in various industries, a larger majority of respondents stated that AI “should be more involved” in disciplines like weather forecasting, the development of medicines and treatments, and accurate diagnostics.
The difference waned when respondents considered practices such as solving crimes and household chores, with only a slightly greater number of individuals stating that AI should be more involved with these disciplines.
The preferences flipped when respondents were asked about clerical and manufacturing jobs, as well as helping provide good government, with a slight majority of respondents saying AI should be less involved with these.
Respondents judged the areas that some might consider as requiring the greatest “human” element as the areas that AI should be least involved.
Only about 40 percent of respondents stated that AI should be more involved with “companionship to lonely people” and “helping people’s mental health,” with even fewer stating the same for “advising on personal relationships” and “counseling about spiritual lives.”
A vast majority of respondents advocated for some kind of regulation of AI, with only about 12 percent of respondents stating there should be no regulation at all.
However, opinions varied on how that regulation should be implemented. More than 37 percent advocated for federal regulation, while 34.7 percent advocated for regulation through “an accountable and independent, professional organization.” Only around 16 percent of respondents entrusted regulation to the technology companies themselves.
The results come after several data center and AI supply chain companies officially launched the Lone Star Infrastructure Coalition at the beginning of October, with the goal of “helping Texas meet the need to modernize and expand the state’s infrastructure to meet growing demand.”
