New advancements in technology can be exciting, pushing boundaries and discovering new frontiers that were once thought impossible to reach.  But for every new technological breakthrough that is developed, there is also the possibility of technology abuse.  And we, as humans, can all too easily make that jump.

• Internet – dark web

• Email - hacking

• Social media - disinformation, bullying

• Cryptocurrency – illegal transactions, crime, stolen funds

• Generative AI – too new to tell.

Most generative AI platforms, as we know them today, are still very new; with the best known and most used generative AI, ChatGPT, being released to the public only 6 months ago.

A recent Lab42 research on the topic, found that only 31% of US adults 13+ are aware of the existence of any generative AI’s and only 10% have ever used one. 

Generative AI feels almost like the new Space Race.  Countries like the US, China, and Russia recognize the power that a technology like this can provide and are rushing to develop the most sophisticated version.  As one world leader stated in stark terms: “whichever country leads the way in AI research will come to dominate global affairs.”

Though world leaders are familiar with new advancements in generative AI and understand its importance, most of us agree that there is still much to uncover about this strange new discovery. Lab42’s research showed that almost half of those aware of generative AI (41%) either know very little or nothing about how this technology works.  Only 11% of those who are aware claim to know exactly how it works.

This limited knowledge results in discomfort and distrust among some with almost half of respondents (49%) feeling either uncomfortable, distrustful, or at best neutral with the way this technology is progressing and the information that it provides.(Q45)

People seem to be both fascinated yet fearful, as they can see both the advantages and disadvantages of this new immersive technology. Recently key figures in the AI community, such as Elon Musk, signed an open letter warning of potential risks of AI development. Many wish to suspend development fearing it is developing too quickly and could pose a threat to humanity*.

Do the benefits outweigh the threats?

The census is still out if the benefits of generative AI outweigh the threats. Many technologies, as stated above, were created to benefit society but in the wrong hands they could be used negatively. Lab42’s data indicates that slightly more than half of those aware of generative AI (55%) believe that advancements in generative AI are a positive thing, however nearly half (45%) are either more skeptical and uncertain whether these advancements are a positive or a negative thing or just downright pessimistic about it.

And though people very broadly and conceptually believe that the advantages stemming from generative AI have the potential to improve many aspects of our lives (60%) and make our lives easier (70%), they also acknowledge that this same technology could pose tangible threats: to job security (61%), privacy (67%), and can spread false information (67%).  Half of respondents also believe that generative AI could also further economic inequality.

There is however an area free of polarization where most respondents agree that there should be guardrails implemented around generative AI.  Lab42’s data indicates that 78% of those aware of this technology believe that it should be regulated, with most believing that oversight should be done at the federal level (48%).

2022 was a big year for generative AI, with advancements in the technology making it more accessible to the general public. However, we are already starting to see both the good and the bad of generative AI. It has already been used to create fake pictures of Donald Trump being arrested and the Pope wearing a fancy fashionable puffer coat (both created using MidJourney).  On the other hand, it has also been used by everyday professionals and regular people to create marketing emails, social media content and for entertainment, such as writing a poem about pizza in the tone of Shakespeare!  How we allow this new technology to evolve, whether we regulate it or not (and to what extent), all the benefits and threats it carries are still to be seen. 

What is certain is that we are entering a new frontier.

*Vallance, C. (2023, March 30). Elon Musk among experts urging a halt to AI training. Retrieved April 4, 2023, from https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-65110030

This research was conducted by Lab42 Research, LLC, between the dates of March 13, 2023 and March 23, 2023 among Americans aged 13+ who were aware of at least one generative AI technology. Sample was sent to match census on age, gender, and ethnicity.