Britons are more likely than those in other major economies to fear being left behind by the rise in artificial intelligence, according to a report published ahead of the Davos summit.
The Edelman Trust Barometer revealed that 58 per cent in the UK were anxious about AI, the highest out of the five nations – followed by the US, Germany, Brazil and China.
In the survey by public relations firm Edelman, participants were asked whether ‘people like me will be left behind rather than realise any real advantages’ from the technology.
And a breakdown of the results showed that anxiety was worst for low-income groups – with 71 per cent in the UK saying they feared being left behind compared with 60 per cent of those on middle incomes and 38 per cent on high incomes. The results may be a reality check for politicians eager to praise the technology and its potential to transform productivity.
A helping hand: Britons are more likely than those in other major economies to fear being left behind by the rise in artificial intelligence
The findings form part of the wider Trust Barometer report, a survey of nearly 34,000 people in 28 countries, which is launched annually at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland.
It suggested that record levels of economic anxiety are driving a surge in mistrust among people with different beliefs or backgrounds. The extent of pessimism is such that just 32 per cent believe that the next generation will be better off, down from 36 per cent a year ago.
In the UK, just 14 per cent are optimistic, though things are even worse for crisis-wracked Germany and France, at the bottom of the pile on 8 per cent and 6 per cent.
That global trend has helped to deliver an increasing unwillingness to trust ‘someone with different values, approaches to social issues, backgrounds, or information sources’, the report found.
The firm’s chief executive Richard Edelman said: ‘People are retreating from dialogue and compromise, choosing the safety of the familiar over the perceived risk of change.
‘We favour nationalism over global connection and individual gain over joint progress. Our mentality has shifted from ‘we’ to ‘me’.’
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