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Stanford HAI AI Index
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Part of Stanford HAI's annual AI Index report, this section offers empirical public opinion data useful for researchers and policymakers assessing societal attitudes toward AI—relevant context for understanding the political feasibility of AI governance and safety interventions.
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Importance: 52/100organizational reportdataset
Summary
The 2025 Stanford HAI AI Index report chapter on public opinion presents survey data from 26 countries on how people perceive AI's benefits, risks, and societal impacts. It tracks longitudinal shifts in public attitudes toward AI across dimensions including employment, safety, and trust. This data provides a foundation for understanding the social and political context surrounding AI governance and deployment.
Key Points
- •Surveys public attitudes toward AI across 26 nations, providing rare cross-cultural comparative data on AI perception.
- •Tracks changes over time in how populations weigh AI's potential benefits against perceived risks and harms.
- •Covers public concerns about AI's impact on employment, privacy, and broader societal well-being.
- •Data reveals divergent attitudes between countries, with implications for international AI governance and policy.
- •Provides empirical grounding for policymakers and researchers assessing public readiness and trust in AI systems.
Review
The Stanford HAI AI Index report provides a nuanced snapshot of global public opinion on artificial intelligence, highlighting a gradual shift towards cautious optimism. The research reveals that from 2022 to 2024, the percentage of people viewing AI products and services as beneficial has increased from 52% to 55%, with two-thirds of respondents expecting significant AI impact on daily life within the next three to five years. Despite this growing optimism, the report also underscores persistent concerns and regional variations. While countries like China (83%), Indonesia (80%), and Thailand (77%) show high AI optimism, Western nations like the United States (39%) and Canada (40%) remain more skeptical. Additionally, there are emerging concerns about data privacy, algorithmic bias, and potential job displacement, with 60% of workers expecting AI to change their jobs and 36% fearing potential job replacement. The report also highlights growing support for AI regulation, with 73.7% of local U.S. policymakers advocating for regulatory frameworks, signaling a maturing public discourse around AI's societal integration.
Cited by 3 pages
| Page | Type | Quality |
|---|---|---|
| Societal Response & Adaptation Model | Analysis | 57.0 |
| Pause Advocacy | Approach | 91.0 |
| AI Risk Public Education | Approach | 51.0 |
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08 Public Opinion
Sciences (Social, Health, Biological, Physical) Download Full Chapter All Chapters
Back to Overview
01 Research and Development
02 Technical Performance
03 Responsible AI
04 Economy
05 Science and Medicine
06 Policy and Governance
07 Education
08 Public Opinion
1. The world grows cautiously optimistic about AI products and services.
Among the 26 nations surveyed by Ipsos in both 2022 and 2024, 18 saw an increase in the proportion of people who believe AI products and services offer more benefits than drawbacks. Globally, the share of individuals who see AI products and services as more beneficial than harmful has risen from 52% in 2022 to 55% in 2024.
2. The expectation and acknowledgment of AI’s impact on daily life is rising.
Around the world, two thirds of people now believe that AI-powered products and services will significantly impact daily life within the next three to five years—an increase of 6 percentage points since 2022. Every country except Malaysia, Poland, and India saw an increase in this perception since 2022, with the largest jumps in Canada (17%) and Germany (15%).
3. Skepticism about the ethical conduct of AI companies is growing, while trust in the fairness of AI is declining.
Globally, confidence that AI companies protect personal data fell from 50% in 2023 to 47% in 2024. Likewise, fewer people now believe that AI systems are unbiased and free from discrimination compared to last year.
4. Regional differences persist regarding AI optimism.
First reported in the 2023 AI Index, significant regional differences in AI optimism persist. A large majority believe AI-powered products and services offer more benefits than drawbacks in countries like China (83%), Indonesia (80%), and Thailand (77%). In contrast, only a minority share this view in Canada (40%), the United States (39%), and the Netherlands (36%).
5. People in the United States remain distrustful of self-driving cars.
A recent American Automobile Association survey found that 61% of people in the US fear self-driving cars, and only 13% trust them. Although the percentage who express fear has declined from its 2023 peak of 68%, it remains higher than in 2021 (54%).
6. There is broad support for AI regulation among local U.S. policymakers.
In 2023, 73.7% of local U.S. policymakers—spanning township, municipal, and county levels—agreed that AI should be regulated, up significantly from 55.7% in 2022. Support was stronger among Democrats (79.2%) than Republicans (55.5%), though both registered notable increases over 2022.
7. AI opt
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