The Verge today released the results of its latest “Trust Survey” on consumer attitudes towards artificial intelligence in a new report, Hope, Fear and AI. To better understand the rapid rise and adoption of generative AI tools, The Verge and Vox Media partnered to conduct a representative study of how adult Americans are using and thinking about AI. This is the fourth Trust Survey conducted by Vox Media and The Verge, following the surveys conducted in 2017, 2020, and 2021 on attitudes towards big tech.

Surveying over 2,000 people in April 2023, Vox Media partnered with The Circus, an insight and data storytelling consultancy, to find out how many Americans have already used an AI tool, which AI tools are driving the fastest adoption, how Americans believe AI will disrupt their workplaces, what societal changes Americans would like to see in response to AI, and much more.

“The Verge continues to be the destination for understanding how technology impacts people, and no story is bigger than AI this year,” says The Verge’s editor-in-chief Nilay Patel. “We’re excited to release another big survey of how Americans are using and thinking about technology in their work and lives. And we’ll continue to lead in AI coverage, from big investigations on the cover of New York Magazine to podcast deep dives to our exciting slate of AI programming at the Code Conference this fall.”

Among the highlights from the study, Hope, Fear and AI reveals that one in three Americans over the age of 18 has already used generative artificial intelligence tools. AI is already dominating our conversations – 44% of Americans surveyed say they’ve been in conversations where AI has been mentioned “several times a week,” with AI cropping up in Gen Z conversations most frequently (61%). Consumers surveyed stated they want AI usage to be clearly disclosed in digital content (78%). Nearly half believe AI will be very or moderately disruptive to the sector they work in (47%), and most agreed that society will need to make significant changes in order to adjust to a post-AI world (69%). To read more of the survey’s results, head over to The Verge.  

“The topic of AI has been growing in importance and frequency over the past six months, with two thirds of Americans expressing a strong interest in the topic. Most fundamentally believe that AI will have the largest impact in comparison to other new technologies, at parity with breakthroughs in solar power and electric vehicles,” says Vox Media’s SVP of Insights & Innovation Edwin Wong. “We were excited to partner with The Verge to continue our own learning on the topic.” 

About The Verge

The Verge is an ambitious multimedia effort founded in 2011 to examine how technology will change life in the future for a massive mainstream audience. Our original editorial insight was that technology had migrated from the far fringes of the culture to the absolute center as mobile technology created a new generation of digital consumers. Now, we live in a dazzling world of screens that has ushered in revolutions in media, transportation, and science. The future is arriving faster than ever, and The Verge brings you what’s next.