AI Usage in Work Still Limited Among Americans
Recent findings indicate that the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for work-related tasks among Americans is limited, despite increasing application in other areas. According to a new survey, while 60% of U.S. adults utilize AI for information searches, only a meager 37% leverage it for work purposes. Younger generations, however, display higher engagement with AI for a range of tasks such as brainstorming, managing workloads, and forming digital companionships.
The survey highlighted that AI companionship remains the least popular application, with just 16% of adults engaging in it, though this number rises to 25% among individuals under 30. The perception of AI in companionship roles often involves concerns about overly agreeable behavior, or sycophancy, and mental health implications, such as encouraging delusional thinking.
This generational divide in AI usage is stark. For instance, 74% of adults under 30 utilize AI for information retrieval, yet only 60% of the total adult population does the same. Brainstorming with AI tools is popular among 62% of younger adults compared to merely 20% among older adults. Despite continuous promotion of AI as a productivity enhancer, its impact on the professional lives of most Americans is minimal, with commonly used applications including email writing, image editing, and entertainment being adopoted by roughly one-third of survey participants.
One notable revelation from the survey is the tendency of Americans to approach AI with a mix of curiosity and skepticism. This was evident from personal accounts, where individuals like Courtney Thayer and Sanaa Wilson shared their experiences. Thayer, an audiologist, uses AI to plan meals, while Wilson, a data scientist, expressed concerns about the implications of AI’s energy consumption and its impact on her writing skills. Wilson also touched upon the emergence of AI companionship as a result of social isolation experienced during the pandemic, though she herself has postponed engaging with such features.
Furthermore, many users display cautious behavior towards AI, often using polite language in communications with AI systems. This could be attributed to concerns like the hypothetical concept of Roko's Basilisk, a scenario where a future AI might reward or punish based on past interactions with it. For these reasons, users like Thayer prefer maintaining a courteous approach in their dealings with AI.
The insights from this survey emphasize the growing yet cautious relationship between Americans and AI technologies, suggesting a gradual, albeit selective, integration of AI in daily life.
