A third of Russians think rapid spread of AI endangers humanity - poll

MOSCOW. April 28 (Interfax) - Thirty-three percent of Russians see negative implications for humanity in the rapid development and spread of neural networks, and this share reaches 40% among people older than 60, the Public Opinion Foundation said in a statement on its website on Friday.

These respondents foresee people's mental decline, unemployment caused by the automation of many work processes, increasing human dependence on artificial intelligence, and the probability of life-threatening errors occurring due to technical failures as the potential risks.

At the same time, 29% of respondents believe that the rapid development and spread of AI technologies are good for mankind. The share is as high as 52% among people aged 18 to 30, the pollster said.

Such respondents refer to the automation of work, an easier life, improved accessibility of information, and better data processing as the reasons for their view.

Fourteen percent argue that the rapid development and spread of neural networks could be both beneficial and harmful, and 24% are undecided.

The Public Opinion Foundation polled 1,500 respondents aged 18 and over in 104 populated localities in 53 regions of Russia on April 14-16, 2023.