People are more open to AI if they know less about it

The rapid growth of artificial intelligence has many people wondering who is most likely to adopt AI in their everyday lives. Many people assume that those who understand AI are the most likely to adopt it.

Our new research (published by the

Journal of Marketing (19459067) found the opposite. People who know less about AI are more likely to use the technology. This difference in adoption tendency is called the “lower literacy – higher receptivity” connection. This link is present across groups, settings and countries. Our analysis of

Data from market research firm Ipsoscovering 27 countries shows that people in countries with lower average AI literacy tend to be more open to adopting AI than those in countries with higher literacy.

Our survey of US undergraduates found that those who had less knowledge of AI were more likely to use it for academic assignments.

This link is due to the fact that AI can now perform tasks that we thought only humans were capable of. When AI creates art, writes a heartfelt reply or plays a musical piece, it can seem almost magical — as if it’s crossing over into human territory.

Of Course, AI

It doesn’t possess any human qualities. A chatbot may generate an empathetic reply, but it does not feel empathy. People with a deeper understanding of AI will understand this.

These people understand how algorithms (a set of mathematical rules that computers use to perform specific tasks), training data (used by AI systems to improve their performance) and computational models work. This makes the technology seem less mysterious.

On another hand, those who have less understanding of AI may find it magical and inspiring. This sense of magic may make them more open to AI tools.

According to our studies, this link between lower literacy and higher receptivity is strongest when AI tools are used in areas that people associate with human characteristics, such as emotional support or counseling. The pattern is reversed when it comes to tasks which don’t evoke a sense of human-like characteristics, such as analysing test data. People with higher AI literacy tend to be more open to these uses, as they are more focused on AI’s efficiency rather than its “magical” qualities. It’s not about ethics, fear or capability

This link between lower AI literacy and higher receptivity persists despite the fact that people with lower AI reading levels are more likely to see AI as less ethical, less capable and even a little scary. Their openness towards AI seems to stem primarily from their sense wonder at what it can achieve, despite its perceived drawbacks. This finding offers new insight into

Why people react so differently to emerging technology Some studies suggest

Consumers are more likely to be in favour of new techthan others. This is called “algorithm appreciating”, while some show scepticism or “algorithm avoidance”. Our research shows that perceptions of AI’s “magicalness”, as a key driver, are a major factor in these reactions. These insights present a challenge to policymakers and educators.

In an effort to increase AI literacyyou may unintentionally dampen the enthusiasm of people for AI by making it appear less magical. This creates a difficult balance between helping people to understand AI and keeping their openness to its adoption.

To maximize AI’s potential businesses, educators, and policymakers must strike a balance. Understanding how people’s perceptions of “magicalness,” shape their openness to AI can help us develop and deploy new AI products and services, which take into account the way people perceive AI, and help them better understand the benefits and risk of AI.

This will ideally happen without causing the awe which inspires so many people to embrace new technology.

Chiara Longoni (19459067) – Associate Professor of Marketing and Social Science

Bocconi University (19459067)

Gil Appel (19459067), Assistant Professor of Marketing at the School of Business.

George Washington University and

Stephanie Tullyis an Associate Professor of Marketing at the USC Marshall School of Business.

University of Southern California (19659018) This article has been republished.

The Conversationis licensed under a Creative Commons License. Read the

Original article

Receive the most important tech updates in your inbox every week.