Majority of Americans Report Using AI Models
According to a recent survey, a majority of Americans have incorporated AI models like ChatGPT into their lives. The study, conducted by Elon University’s Imagining the Digital Future Center, indicates a significant shift in public interaction with artificial intelligence.
The survey data reveals that 52 percent of respondents stated they have used “artificial intelligence (AI) large language models,” a category that includes OpenAI’s popular ChatGPT. Within this group:
- 5 percent use the models “almost constantly”
- 7 percent use them “several times a day”
- 5 percent use them “about once a day”
- 10 percent use them “several times a week”
- 25 percent use them “less often”
A ChapGPT logo is seen on a monitor in West Chester, Pa., Dec. 6, 2023.
Conversely, 47 percent of those surveyed reported that they “not at all” use such models.
“The rise of large language models has been historic,” the report stated. “In less than two-and-a-half years, half the adults in America say they have used LLMs. Few, if any, communications and general technologies have seen this pace of growth across the entire population.”
The survey covered 500 users of large language models and took place between January 21st and 23rd. It has a margin of error of 5.1 percentage points. A broader group of 939 people, comprising both users and non-users of the models, holds a margin of error of 3.2 percentage points. The Hill has contacted the Imagining the Digital Future Center for the survey dates for the wider group.
Public Opinion and AI Applications
Despite the apparent familiarity with AI, the survey also points to reservations about its application. A recent poll reveals that 55 percent of Americans disagree with the government using AI to make decisions about unemployment assistance, college tuition aid, research investments, food aid, and small business loans.
Among the 500 large language model users surveyed, 52 percent reported utilizing AI “for work activities,” while 36 percent indicated its use for “schoolwork and homework activities.”
