Axios-CivicScience Index Finds AI Growth Optimism, Job Doubts

A new monthly measure points to a split in U.S. expectations for artificial intelligence: respondents expect it to boost economic growth but are less confident it will create jobs.

Axios and CivicScience launched the AI Sentiment Index, which scores opinion across six areas. Four cover AI’s expected effects on quality of life, society, employment and economic growth. The other two measure support for continued AI development and new data centers.

Twenty-five percent of employed adults were very concerned about AI’s effect on their careers. The share reached 40% among people in technical roles. More than 75% of respondents in separate surveys expressed at least some concern about the spread of generative AI tools.

The new measure adds to earlier polling on public views of AI. In a previous survey, 64% of Americans said AI was developing too fast, as earlier polling on the pace of AI development found.

The index is designed as a monthly tracker. Repeated readings could help track whether the difference between expectations for economic growth and jobs persists.