SRI/PEARL joint project explores global public opinion on AI with contributions to 2024 Stanford AI Index
On April 15th, the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI) released their 7th annual AI Index. Considered one of the most trusted and widely-read indices about the state of AI in the world, the Stanford index aims to “ground the conversation about AI in data” by compiling unbiased, rigorously vetted, and globally sourced data from experts across the globe.
This year’s Stanford AI Index includes data from the Global Public Opinion on Artificial Intelligence survey (GPO-AI), a joint project by the Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society (SRI) and the Policy, Elections and Representation Lab (PEARL) at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, University of Toronto.
Led by Professor Peter Loewen, director of the Munk School and an associate director at the SRI, the full GPO-AI report will be released publicly in early May 2024. Learn more about the report.
GPO-AI’s contributions to the Stanford index include data on global awareness and usage of ChatGPT, as well as information on the public’s AI-related concerns such as AI’s impacts on the job market or its potential uses that might violate citizens’ privacy.
About GPO-AI
The GPO-AI survey, conducted in October and November of 2023, sought to gain greater insights into public perceptions of and attitudes toward AI. It was conducted in 12 languages, reaching 21 countries across 6 continents: North America, South America, Asia, Europe, Africa, and Oceania. Census-targeted samples of over 1,000 people in each country were collected, for a total of 23,882 surveys.
The final report (forthcoming in May of 2024) includes chapters on topics such as ChatGPT, justice, consumer behaviour, and labour and employment, gathering insights on global attitudes towards AI technologies, as well as how these attitudes differ across countries and regions.
Key insights from Stanford and SRI
Findings from the survey will be presented during a session at this year’s Absolutely Interdisciplinary conference by the project’s lead, Peter Loewen, who will be joined by Ray Perrault, co-chair of the AI Index Steering Committee at HAI. Tickets for the conference are still available.
The session will explore key insights from both the Stanford AI Index and GPO-AI, delving into the goals and methodologies of both reports, and highlighting key takeaways about the importance of a better understanding of public opinion about AI to inform development, policy, and regulation strategies.
The final GPO-AI report will be published in advance of the conference. Those wishing to be notified of the publication date can sign up for updates on the GPO-AI official webpage.
