Trust, Experience, and Innovation: Key Factors Shaping American Attitudes About AI

Key variables associated with the direction and intensity of concern include prior experience using a large language model such as ChatGPT, general trust in science, adherence to the precautionary principle versus support for unrestricted innovation, and demographic factors such as gender. By analyzing these relationships, the paper provides valuable insights into the American public's response to AI that are particularly important in the development of policy to regulate or further encourage its development. Key words: artificial intelligence, survey research, public opinion, precautionary principle, ChatGPT Introduction Artificial intelligence is defined as "a machine-based system that can, for a given set of human-defined objectives, make predictions, recommendations, or decisions that impact real or virtual environments" (National Artificial Intelligence Act of 2020, H.R. 6216). According to this definition, AI systems leverage both machine and human inputs to (a) perceive real and virtual environments, (b) transform these perceptions into models through automated analysis, and (c) use these models to generate options for information or action. Currently, AI is employed in a range of applications including mapping technologies, handwriting recognition for mail sorting, spam filtering, language translation, financial trading, and more.