A new Kaspersky survey, titled “Excitement, Superstition and Great Insecurity – How Global Consumers Engage with the Digital World,” reveals a growing acceptance of artificial intelligence (AI) as a new member of society.
The survey found that 39% of respondents believe AI can be a fairer boss than a human being because of its impartiality. This highlights a growing acceptance of AI in the workplace, with many seeing it as a valuable team member and manager.
Beyond the workplace, AI is also poised to play a significant role in education. Almost half of respondents (49%) foresee children being taught through virtual experiences and metaverses in the near future.
AI is not only transforming work and education but also impacting personal lives. Half of all consumers (44%) believe that AI has already become an unavoidable part of their lives, with 42% expressing a positive outlook on its potential to bring about exciting opportunities and improve the future. The majority of respondents (67%) also believe AI is a credible producer of works of art.
More than half of respondents (66%) would like to use AI to run their daily lives more efficiently, seeing it as a reliable companion and assistant.
However, the survey also highlights potential concerns around AI’s impact on human relationships. Almost half of those surveyed (64%) are ready to use an AI chatbot for online conversations, while 35% would use one to find a partner on a dating app. In fact, 50% believe that human relationships will change due to the impact of AI if virtual characters start replacing real-life partners.
“We are witnessing the growing adoption of AI as a valuable tool, assisting people in diverse areas,” commented Vladislav Tushkanov, Machine Learning Technology Research Group Manager at Kaspersky. “Beyond traditional applications, such as processing and analysing data, AI is being entrusted with more intriguing personal roles, including romance, education, and work. As AI technologies continue to evolve, their potential to drive innovation and improve human experiences becomes even more profound.
However, this advancement also brings unexpected risks and sophisticated threats, ranging from overreliance — putting too much trust in AI advice — to AI-generated phishing, deepfakes and identity theft. These are the challenges that we need to address across multiple levels.”
To protect users against AI-driven threats, Kaspersky suggests:
- Install a trusted cybersecurity solution that can offer protection against AI-enhanced phishing by detecting malicious pages and preventing interaction with them.
- Avoid trusting requests for data or money immediately, even if they seem to come from friends, family members, or colleagues.
- Utilise an online Privacy checker to adjust privacy settings to limit exposure to AI-enhanced identity theft.
