Survey Shows Australians Want Action on AI Risks and Misinformation

TLDR

• A survey of over 4,000 Australian adults found that 74% want regulations to manage AI risks
• Only 39% of Australian adults have experience using text-based generative AI services
• 40% of Australians believe generative AI will harm Australian society
• Younger adults and those with higher education are more likely to use generative AI regularly
• Many Australians lack confidence in their media literacy skills, especially regarding identifying misinformation

A recent survey of over 4,000 Australian adults has uncovered significant concerns about artificial intelligence (AI) and its potential impact on society, highlighting a growing need for improved media literacy.

The Adult Media Literacy study, conducted by Western Sydney University, the University of Canberra, and QUT between January and April 2024, found that 74% of Australians want regulations to manage AI risks. This sentiment comes despite relatively low usage of generative AI tools among the population.

• According to the survey, only 39% of Australian adults have experience using text-based generative AI services such as ChatGPT or Bard.
• Of this group, 13% use these services regularly, while 26% have tried them.
• The adoption rate for image-based AI services like Midjourney or DALL-E is even lower, with only 3% using them regularly and 13% having experimented with them.

The research revealed a generational and educational divide in AI usage. Younger adults and those with higher levels of education are much more likely to be using generative AI regularly. This disparity raises concerns about a potential new societal divide based on AI literacy.

Despite the low usage rates, many Australians express worry about the technology’s impact. The survey found that 40% of respondents believe generative AI will harm Australian society, compared to only 16% who disagree with this statement. Additionally, 54% of those surveyed think AI is being developed too quickly.

These concerns extend to the broader issue of online misinformation. The study found that 80% of Australians want action to reduce misinformation online, an increase of 6% from 2021. More than half of the respondents expressed a desire to learn more about how to identify false online claims.

Associate Professor Tanya Notley from Western Sydney University highlighted the importance of media literacy in navigating the challenges posed by AI and misinformation.

“AI certainly makes media literacy more complicated because the expectation is that it’s getting harder and harder to identify where AI has been used,” she said. “It’s going to be used in more sophisticated ways to manipulate people with disinformation, and we can already see that happening.”

The survey identified several groups that lack confidence in their use of media, including those with lower levels of education, lower incomes, people living with a disability, and those in regional areas. One in three Australians reported lacking confidence in their media abilities, even though social networks are the most popular form of media in the country.

To address these challenges, the researchers suggest that media literacy efforts should be more accessible and engaging, particularly for adults. They recommend leveraging Australia’s public cultural institutions, such as public broadcasters and national libraries, to help reach a broader audience and build trust in media literacy initiatives.

Independent senator David Pocock, who launched the report in Canberra, emphasized the urgency of addressing these concerns, especially in light of the upcoming federal election.

“Generative AI makes the 2016 ‘Mediscare’ campaign look like absolute child’s play,” he warned, referring to the potential for deepfake democracy where a population with low digital literacy could be easily misled.

The findings of this survey come at a crucial time, as a Senate inquiry into adopting AI recently heard calls for strict rules on the use of the technology.

Government officials have indicated that voluntary AI guidelines will be issued soon, but it remains to be seen whether these will be sufficient to address the concerns raised by the public.