Privacy, Values and Machines: Predicting Opposition to Artificial Intelligence

ABSTRACT

In this study we identify, for the first time, social determinants of opposition to artificial intelligence, based on the assessment of its benefits and risks. Using a national survey in Spain (n = 5200) and linear regression models, we show that common explanations regarding opposition to artificial intelligence, such as competition and relative vulnerability theories, are not confirmed or have limited explanatory power. Stronger effects are shown by social values and general attitudes to science. Those expressing egalitarian values and privacy concerns, as well as those less predisposed to innovation in a general sense, are more prone to oppose both technological applications. Lastly, we found evidence that, as in other complex technological applications, a new cognitive shortcut is produced. In this case, we found a strong correlation (0.652, p < .001) between public attitudes toward robotization in the workplace and toward artificial intelligence. We discuss the implications of this new cognitive schema, the “intelligent machine”, as a new threatening or beneficial element.

KEYWORDS:

• Privacy
• individualism
• labor
• distrust in technology
• robotization

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. An example of this gloomy perspective is Elon Musk (the CEO of Tesla) commenting on AI, saying it is like “summoning the demon”. Stephen Hawking also expressed similar statements.

2. The questionnaire and the database of this survey are available at https://icono.fecyt.es/informes-y-publicaciones/percepcion-social-de-la-ciencia-y-la-tecnologia-en-espana.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Josep Lobera

Josep Lobera. Lecturer in Sociology at the Autonomous University of Madrid and the Tufts University & Skidmore College international program. He is currently co-editor of the Spanish Journal of Sociology (RES) and the scientific editor of the Biennial National Report on Social Perception of Science and Technology in Spain. His research interests are focused on the analysis of public opinion, the political attitudes and the social representations of science and technology.

Carlos J. Fernández Rodríguez

Carlos J. Fernández Rodríguez. Senior lecturer in Sociology at the Autonomous University of Madrid. His research interests are sociology of organizations, sociology of work and consumption and industrial relations. He is currently editor-in-chief of the Spanish Journal of Sociology (RES). He has published in outlets such as Economic and Industrial Democracy, European Journal of Industrial Relations, Minerva or Journal of Consumer Culture.

Cristóbal Torres-Albero

Cristóbal Torres-Albero. Full professor of Sociology at the Autonomous University of Madrid. Founder of the Spanish Journal of Sociology (RES), he has taught regularly courses or lectures in most Spanish universities, as well as the Université Paris Dauphine (Paris IX), London South Bank University, Autonomous University of Baja California (Mexico), and at the Institute of Social Sciences of the University of Lisbon. He has authored more than fifty articles, book chapters and working papers, as well as ten books. One of the latest, “Spain 2015. Social situation”, received the award for the best book of social sciences in the 19th National Awards of University Edition (UNE).