New AI Index Study Published by the University of South Carolina College of Information and Communications

From the U. of South Carolina College of Information and Communication:

A College of Information and Communications research team conducted a national survey on “Americans’ Use and Perception of AI Tools” in December 2024. This marks the second survey carried out on this topic, continuing their efforts to understand public attitudes toward AI technologies.

The analysis draws on data from two nationally representative surveys of the U.S. adult population, each with over 1,000 participants.

CIC’s associate dean for research Linwan Wu, Ph.D. and Dan Sultanescu, Ph.D., at the National School of Political and Administrative Studies in Bucharest, Romania, are the principal investigators for the AI index study.

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Key Takeaways

Rising Public Interest in AI
Public discourse on AI has surged, with online interest in ChatGPT occasionally matching that of Trump during the election year. However, awareness of AI tools remains mixed — 57 percent of the public is acquainted with them to various degrees, while one-third is highly familiar, predominantly younger, educated, higher-income individuals. Gender disparities persist, with men being more familiar with AI tools. While over 40 percent have used such tools for work, study or both, non-users cite distrust as the primary barrier, rather than cost or complexity.

Shifting Popularity Among AI Tools
ChatGPT remains the leading AI tool but has seen competition from Gemini and Copilot. Over the last six months, these alternatives have grown significantly in adoption, collectively surpassing ChatGPT’s usage, aided by their recent rebranding and updates.

Adoption of AI tools for content creation
AI tools are used by 35 percent of the population for communication content creation, with significantly higher adoption in technical, business, and communication industries. Half of those in communication-related roles and 75 percent in IT and technical fields report regular use, compared to much lower adoption rates in sectors like manufacturing, agriculture, and transportation.

Decline in Job Security Concerns
Concerns about AI displacing jobs have dropped by 10 percent since June 2024, from over half to 42 percent. Among communication professionals, this fear is even lower, at 37 percent.

Mixed Sentiment on AI’s Overall Impact
While AI’s general impact is perceived positively, public expectations remain mixed. More people express concerns than excitement about AI’s future. Nonetheless, AI-driven productivity gains are increasingly acknowledged.

Low Awareness of Ethical Challenges
Only one-third of the public surveyed is aware of ethical concerns related to AI tools. Most expect self-regulation rather than government intervention. However, communication professionals advocate for stronger government oversight.

Mixed Impact on Journalism
AI tools are expected to enhance journalism quality, particularly by educated, high-income, and tech-savvy individuals. But this belief is not widely shared across the public.

Mis/disinformation Fears Persist
Concerns about AI’s potential to amplify mis/disinformation remain strong. Optimists believe AI could reduce disinformation, but a sizable portion of highly educated individuals remains apprehensive about its role in online manipulation.

Perception of Increased Disinformation in 2024 Elections
Over 60 percent of our respondents believe online disinformation was more prevalent in the 2024 elections in the US. One-third reported encountering AI-driven disinformation, such as deepfakes or bot-generated content, and a large majority suspecting AI was used for spreading disinformation. Similar trends have been observed in other countries, including Romania’s 2024 presidential elections.

Influence on Political Campaigns
AI tools have played a notable role in the U.S. presidential campaign, with 25 percent of our respondents using them at least several times a week to understand political issues.

Polarization and Digital Tools
The U.S. remains deeply polarized, affecting digital tool usage. Republicans tend to rely on diverse social media platforms, while Democrats trust mainstream media and public institutions like universities and the government. This divide influences information sources but does not significantly affect attitudes toward AI.

Social Media Trends Post-Elections
Social media activities have decreased following the elections. By the end of the year, YouTube surpassed Facebook to become the leading platform for news consumption in the U.S., according to the survey results. Both platforms remain dominant, far ahead of others in terms of usage. The survey findings align with trends reported in other studies on media consumption in the United States.

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