[00:00:00] Why are some people afraid of artificial intelligence, or AI, than others? Researchers from Germany, France, Canada, and Ireland examine why people in different countries have unique fears about AI taking over their occupations. The study included 10,000 people from 20 countries, with 500 participants from each country. Researchers focused on six doctors, judges, managers, care workers, religious workers, and journalists. Participants rated how much they feared AI taking over each occupation. They also rated the traits each occupation occupation needed, such as empathy, trust, and how well they thought AI could show these traits. Results Fear of AI varied across nationality and occupation. People tended to be less afraid of AI when they believed it showed human traits. Each occupation requirement that people believed AI could meet was linked to about a 1 point drop in fear. This suggests that fear of AI is not simply about technology itself. People's ideas about what makes an occupation human also shapes how they feel about AI doing it. Conclusions Fear of AI is shaped by its relative humanness. As AI becomes part of more areas of life, understanding these beliefs may help us have more balanced conversations about AI's role.
