Amid growing concerns about AI technology, people trust these sectors with it the most

For decades, the prospect of artificial intelligence has captivated audiences. From HAL 9000’s chilling betrayal to the Terminator’s relentless pursuit, popular culture has long painted AI as a technology that can both be transformative and dangerous. Until recently, however, the idea of artificial intelligence presenting any actual risks seemed hard to believe since people assumed that the technology was decades, if not centuries, away.

That changed dramatically in November 2022 when OpenAI’s ChatGPT burst onto the scene. After decades of advancing at a glacial pace, powerful artificial intelligence systems suddenly looked like they were just around the corner. Some AI safety thinkers once argued that AI systems should first be developed in “air-gapped” systems, away from the internet, where they might potentially cause harm. Such suggestions seem fanciful today. Companies are now racing to incorporate generative AI—artificial intelligence that can make original content—into just about every one of their products and services.