Artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI implementations have been a popular topic of discussion for government agencies — and many are moving ahead with internal use policies and testing use cases. However, consumers aren’t totally on board with AI. 

People seem accepting of using AI tools for translations or summaries, for example, but most polls show that consumers prefer human interaction. Research suggests that the majority of business leaders (91%!) feel positive about using AI to engage with customers; yet, only half of consumers say the same.

This isn’t to say that people aren’t accepting what’s on the horizon. In fact, 78% of consumers said they believe generative AI is the future. They’re just not that excited about it. 

When it comes to AI, people still have mixed feelings  

Although AI tools could significantly impact internal productivity, it might be wise to exercise caution when deploying AI solutions to the public. 

We found that (similar to other emerging technologies), customers are still skeptical about the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for government services. In our recent survey, consumers were pretty evenly split on whether or not they felt comfortable with AI in digital government:

• 56% of respondents are somewhat or very comfortable with government agencies using AI 
• 44% of respondents said they are somewhat or very uncomfortable with this new technology
  
• People seem most comfortable with using AI to complete mundane tasks or automate manual processes, but overall trust in AI remains shaky at best. An April 2024 YouGov poll found that 62% of people don’t trust AI to make ethical decisions, and 45% don’t trust that AI’s information is accurate.

Respondents recognized that while AI could have benefits, concerns remained. 

What worries do people have about AI? 

Lack of regulation and potential for error gives them pause. Other concerns include data security, scams, and bugs. The most common issues people have with AI revolve around misinformation, ethics, and the possibility of job losses. 

Falsehoods can be an issue

By nature of their design, AI tools hallucinate. Even if the information presented is wrong, there’s a good chance it’ll sound plausible, increasing the risk that residents receive misinformation. And that’s especially worrisome to consumers: One poll found that 76% of people are concerned with misinformation from AI tools.

And false information goes beyond text. Deep fake videos are more and more common, and AI-created or AI-manipulated images are getting more and more realistic. Use of either (on purpose or accidentally) could spark red flags for consumers. In fact, a whopping 98% of consumers reported that ‘authentic’ images and videos are pivotal in establishing trust.

The human cost is a concern for many 

Numerous respondents in our study expressed concerns about the human cost of AI, including job losses. Other studies support that finding. One reported that 77% of people are worried that AI will cause job loss within the next 12 months. Another (more positive we’ll say) poll found that 30% of consumers are worried about AI replacing workers. 

Interestingly, people seem more concerned about some jobs than others being replaced by technology — and customer support roles seem pretty important. A Gartner survey reported that 53% of customers would consider switching to a competitor if they found out a company was planning on transitioning to AI for customer service. (This is a contrast to business leaders’ excitement about AI support like chatbots.) 

It seems consumers are cautious about the growing use of AI in areas where transparency and honesty are important; integrating AI into things like product descriptions, online reviews, chatbots, and the hiring process raises concern.  

Consumers are positive about AI in some situations

While consumers seem very knowledgeable about the risks of AI, they’re also optimistic about productivity and efficiency gains. 

• 60% of people think AI could be helpful in education
• 55% of people anticipate workplace efficiencies
• 67% of consumers said they’d use AI tools as a search engine

People don’t want AI forcing people out of work, but they are interested in using AI to assist with tasks like drafting emails, answering financial questions, and providing quick summaries. Despite the understandable caution, 65% of consumers said they still trust businesses that use AI technology. They just want to know it’s being used.

Keep a pulse on resident trust levels

Transparency is important, especially if your agency is testing or deploying AI tools. Research is already finding that mentioning AI lowers consumers’ emotional trust. While that may seem daunting, it’s helpful to keep in mind while your team is framing messaging. Specifically address what your agency is doing to prevent bias, hallucinations, overreach, environmental impacts, and job losses.

Trustworthy AI is the only way to move forward

Even if there’s no ill intent, AI gone wrong isn’t a good look. We know that consumers don’t fully embrace and trust AI yet, but given the trajectory of AI development, it doesn’t make sense for government agencies to sit back and wait until a perfect product exists. 

As government agencies continue to explore use cases for AI, use these tactics to build the most trustworthy solution possible: 

• Develop with human benefit in mind: Technology should make life easier for people not replace people’s livelihood; aim for tools that make tasks simple, fast, and safe
  
• Operate with transparency and accountability: Residents should know what data was used for training, understand the basics of security measures, and get reassurance that should an “oops” occur, the agency will resolve it without stress on the consumer
  
• Make it a community discussion: Ask residents how they feel about AI tools so you know what they’re comfortable with
  
• Provide education: Create content or host learning sessions in your community to help people understand the technology your agency is using and why you’re using it 

Check out our 2024 Consumer Digital Government Adoption Index to learn more about what residents think about digital government services.