AI in the Eyes of the General Public: A Survey Report on Public AI Awareness (Part 1)
-
AI development is in full swing, with an increasing number of AI products being implemented. Ordinary users enjoy the convenience brought by AI products, but they also harbor concerns about the advancement of AI technology.
Artificial Intelligence (AI), proposed in 1956, has experienced ups and downs and finally saw explosive growth after 2012. AI has gradually moved from esoteric theories and technologies to practical applications, with 'AI+' replacing 'Internet+' as the new trend.
Although the 'AI+' sector, including smart homes, wearable devices, education, and healthcare, boasts a market worth hundreds of billions, how deeply has it penetrated among users? What are users' perceptions and acceptance levels?
This survey series on AI aims to understand the public's awareness of AI concepts and products, their experiences with AI, and their decision-making processes when purchasing AI products.
This article is the first in the AI survey series, focusing on the public's current understanding of AI, the penetration and evaluation of AI products, and attitudes toward AI development.
Through the Cheetah Mobile survey platform, we collected 3,625 valid responses.
Sample overview: More males (56%); younger users (45% under 25); lower education levels (70% with high school education or below); high representation of lower-tier cities (40% from fourth-tier cities and below).
'Partial understanding' describes the majority's awareness of AI. Only 20% of the public rate themselves as fairly or very knowledgeable about AI, while one-fifth of internet users have never even heard of AI.
Even among those who know about AI, half pay little attention to it. Only about 30% of the public regularly follow AI-related news or products, with 8% being enthusiasts of AI hardware or apps, closely tracking new releases.
Combining 'fairly knowledgeable' and 'very knowledgeable' as 'deep understanding,' further analysis reveals: Men understand AI better, likely due to their dominance in computer science.
Young adults aged 18-30 know more about AI, while those over 30 have shallower understanding. Teenagers' awareness aligns with the general public.
Higher education correlates with better AI understanding, as AI theory and technical complexity favor those with advanced education.
Regional differences in AI awareness are minimal, indicating the internet's role in equalizing information access globally.
Among professions, corporate managers and professionals (doctors, lawyers, journalists, teachers, etc.) have deeper AI understanding. Among students, college students know more about AI, while middle schoolers align with the general public. Blue-collar workers have the least understanding.
In the 'AI+' era, numerous hardware and software products—either genuinely AI-powered or marketed as such—have entered daily life.
We assessed AI products' impact based on penetration (whether users have tried or purchased them) and convenience (whether they improve life).
Highly penetrated software includes smart voice assistants and personalized content recommendations, with users strongly acknowledging their convenience. This shows that smart voice assistants, as virtual entities in software or hardware, are widely accepted. The idea that 'software recommends content I like' has become part of user cognition.
AI-powered photo restoration and face-swapping apps have sparked social media buzz, popularizing AI and offering entertainment. However, apps like ZAO, which prioritize fun over functionality, face higher scrutiny over privacy concerns.
In contrast, smart customer service is often seen as inconvenient, possibly due to unresolved issues and poor user experiences.
Smart home products like surveillance systems, smart speakers, and smart controls have high penetration, with over 80% of users recognizing their positive impact.
Robots, especially companion robots, have lower penetration. Currently, most companion robots target children, combining education with interaction, though challenges in voice interaction remain.
Deeper AI understanding correlates with more AI product usage. Users prefer learning about AI and products before trying or buying them.
Based on AI awareness and product experiences, how confident is the public about AI's future? We gauged attitudes through emotions and concerns.
The public feels more positive (61% excited, 56% curious) than negative (9% worried) about AI development.
In Edelman's 2019 AI survey, U.S. users were mostly curious (46%) about AI, with only 30% feeling optimistic. This suggests Chinese attitudes are more positive.
Despite general optimism, media coverage of job displacement and data breaches fuels anxiety.
Privacy and data exposure are top concerns. Norton's 2018 report found 85% of Chinese consumers more privacy-conscious, ranking high among 16 surveyed countries.
Next, users worry about social alienation, especially women.
43% fear job losses, particularly among white-collar workers, laborers, freelancers, and professionals. Job insecurity is a factor, while professionals face challenges from diverse online information.
AI awareness influences product usage. Breaking cognitive barriers and simplifying AI concepts can boost adoption.
How to break these barriers? Marketing should focus on benefits, not technical details, making AI accessible.
Women know less about AI. The 2018 Global Gender Gap Report showed 78% of AI professionals are male. Stereotypes limit female representation in tech.
Professor Fei-Fei Li noted high interest in an AI camp for girls, with 200 applications for 24 spots, showing women need more entry points.
Chinese users are more privacy-conscious, reflecting growing concerns.
Smart home devices, like speakers and cameras, collect data while serving users, raising surveillance concerns.
Data privacy regulations are lacking, but excessive restrictions may hinder innovation. Balancing these is a shared challenge for governments, businesses, and researchers.