Jim Duggan, a 68-year-old business owner in Huntsville, Alabama, uses AI tool ChatGPT regularly for his company’s marketing emails but expresses distrust in artificial intelligence when it comes to political matters. Duggan is among the majority of Americans who lack confidence in AI, chatbots, or search results to provide accurate information, according to a recent survey by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and USAFacts.
Despite the increasing use of AI-driven chatbots and search engines in daily life, skepticism towards these technologies remains high among Americans, especially concerning crucial events like elections. Many Americans are hesitant to rely on AI for information related to elections due to concerns about misinformation and inaccuracies.
The survey revealed that opinions are divided on whether AI will make it more challenging to find accurate information about the 2024 election. While some believe AI will complicate the search for factual information, others are uncertain about its impact. Only a small percentage of respondents feel that AI will make it easier to obtain accurate election information.
Griffin Ryan, a 21-year-old college student from Tulane University, relies on traditional news sources like CNN, NPR, and The New York Times for information on candidates and voting. He voices concerns about AI-generated deepfakes and bot accounts on social media potentially influencing voter opinions during elections.
The survey indicates that a minority of Americans trust AI chatbots and search engines to consistently provide factual information. Instances of AI deepfakes and misinformation campaigns have already been observed, raising concerns about their impact on voter perceptions.
Bevellie Harris, a 71-year-old Democrat from California, prefers to obtain election information from official government sources and voter pamphlets. She values information directly from candidates through their ads to understand their positions clearly.
The poll conducted between July 29 and August 8, 2024, surveyed 1,019 adults and had a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 4.0 percentage points. Despite the advancements in AI technology, many Americans remain cautious about its reliability, especially regarding critical events like elections.
