Factors Shaping Perceptions of AI Tools Among a Nationally Representative Sample of US Adults

Authors: B Katz, N Abdelgawad, D Friedberg, P Roberts, S Misra

Published: 2025

Publication: Innovation in Aging, 2025•pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Age significantly influences perceptions of generative AI tools, with older individuals perceiving more benefits and fewer risks compared to younger individuals; thinking dispositions also play a role.

Methods: A nationally representative survey of US adults conducted via the Prolific platform using various AI-relevant scales, including attitudes, risks, benefits, frequency of use, expertise, and literacy assessments.

Key Findings: Demographic factors, industry types, thinking dispositions, and attitudes toward generative AI tools, including risk and utility perceptions.

Limitations: Industry-specific differences (K-12 and higher education) were not significantly linked to AI perceptions; results may not extend beyond the US population.

Institution: Virginia Tech

Research Area: Human–AI Interaction (HCI), Technology Perception

Discipline: Behavioral Science

Sample Size: 500 participants

Citations: 1