UK survey finds concerns over AI now outweigh perceived benefits

LONDON, United Kingdom — A British survey of more than 2,000 people found that concern about artificial intelligence is growing, with 52% of respondents saying the technology's risks outweigh its benefits, up four percentage points from the previous round. The poll, conducted by King's College London's Digital Futures Institute together with the UK AI Organisation, also showed that 42% of participants had reduced their use of chatbots, while trust in the technology fell to 34%. Researchers said the main reasons users were pulling back from AI included data privacy concerns, security worries and uncertainty over regulatory compliance. The findings challenge the common assumption that familiarity with a technology automatically increases acceptance, according to Jack Stilgo of King's College London, who noted that some of the earliest and strongest advocates of AI have become more uneasy over time. Fellow researcher Kate Devlin said users need clearer tools and rules for deciding when and how to deploy AI, including the ability to opt out of the technology in appropriate cases. No further details on the study's methodology or next steps were immediately available.