Here’s what worries us most about AI, even as we use it more and more

Generative artificial intelligence It is growing in popularity, but there may be a major obstacle to continuing to accept this technology into our daily lives. We still don’t trust him. Or, actually, we don’t trust the companies behind them, according to Deloitte Connected Consumer Survey From 3,500 American consumers.

While more than half (53%) of those surveyed said they either experiment with or regularly use generative AI, even more (69%) said they are concerned that innovation is happening too quickly and that technology companies are not paying enough attention to the risks.

“Consumers are using AI more, paying more for it, and despite that, they are increasingly concerned about the potential misuse and risks of new-generation AI,” Steve Feinberg, Deloitte’s senior vice president and head of U.S. technology, told CNET.

The survey reveals two seemingly counterintuitive trends about the rapid rise of generative AI. On the one hand, more people are using generative AI more often More ways every dayBut a growing number — even those who use it frequently — still have serious concerns. Artificial intelligence has become commonplace, appearing in our phones search engines And we have TVsAt the same time, he became more powerful.

On the other hand, generative AI is getting worse Mental health issues and Addictioninvades our privacy and He gets the facts wrong All the time. Most of the time, we are aware of these problems and risks.

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People pay for AI and actually use the apps

Just because AI is everywhere doesn’t mean it’s always free. While most AI developers offer free versions of their services, there are limits, including reduced capabilities or limits on how much you can use of them. About 4 in 10 of those surveyed by Deloitte said they were Payment for generative AI products. Of those who don’t pay, half said it was because of this The free tools are good enough.

Then there’s the issue of usage, with 65% of people using AI through standalone mobile apps – think OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Google’s Gemini app – and a slightly smaller percentage (60%) interacting through AI websites.

Smaller proportions of those surveyed indicated using AI in online services, social media, messaging apps or other software. However, combined, these categories represent 69% of participants, meaning that the majority of people encounter AI even when they are not looking for it.

People want technology they can trust

It is possible that the results of generative AI may be inaccurate. Despite increased use, more than half of those surveyed said they often or always verify the information they get from chatbots by checking trusted sources or their own knowledge.

The biggest concern seems to be data privacy. Since the previous year’s survey, the percentage of people concerned about privacy and security has risen from 60% to 70%, with nearly half of respondents saying they have experienced at least one incident, such as a hack, account hijacking, or Stolen identitylast year.

It’s not just about harmful strangers. People are concerned that technology companies will not respect their privacy and safety. Deloitte asked how willing consumers are to share eight different types of personal data in exchange for better experiences with digital technology. In none of these cases were the number of people “very willing to share” information greater than the number of people “not at all willing.”

Specifically, the majority of people were not at all willing to share biometric data, communications data, or financial data. Consumers appear to be the most willing to share fitness data, which makes sense given its ubiquity Wearable devices for fitness trackingBut even then, more people were not willing to share information at all (30%) than were completely willing (22%).

“I think there’s a lot of work to be done so we can move the needle in that area,” Feinberg said.

Read more: AI basics: 29 ways you can make AGI work for you, according to our experts

Deloitte’s research is consistent with other recent polls, such as a Pew Research Center survey in September that found 61% of Americans want More control over the use of artificial intelligence In their lives like the option of withdrawal.

Aside from the potential harms of AI, many users are not impressed with the advanced features of the technology. More than three in four people said technology companies are too focused on beating competitors rather than solving real problems, and two-thirds said most new features don’t solve their problems.

Deloitte found that consumers were more willing to spend money with companies they trust. People want innovative companies and technology products, but they want their privacy and security more protected.

“It’s a long-term thing,” Feinberg said. “It takes years and years and years to build trust, but it can also be lost in a matter of seconds.”