The Less People Know About AI, the More They Like It

This article is Republished from the conversation Under a Creative Commons License.

The rapid spread of artificial intelligence has people wondering: Who is most likely to embrace AI in their daily lives? Many assume that it’s the tech-savvy—those who understand how AI works—who are most eager to adopt it.

Surprisingly, our new study, published Journal of Marketingfinds the opposite. People with less knowledge about AI are actually more open to using the technology. We call this difference the “higher acceptance of low literacy” link in adoption propensity.

This link appears in different groups, settings and even countries. For example, our analysis Data from market research firm IPSO 27 countries broadly revealed that people in countries with lower average AI literacy are more receptive to AI adoption than those in countries with higher literacy.

Similarly, our survey of US undergraduate students found that those with less understanding of AI were more likely to indicate using it for tasks such as academic assignments.

The reason behind this link is how AI now performs tasks we once thought only humans could do. When AI creates a piece of art, writes a heartfelt response, or plays a musical instrument, it can feel almost magical—like it’s entering human territory.

Of course, AI Not really Human qualities. A chatbot can generate an empathetic response, but it doesn’t feel empathy. People with more technical knowledge of AI can understand this.

They know how to manage algorithms (sets of mathematical rules used by computers to perform specific tasks), training data (used to improve how an AI system works), and computational models. This makes the technology less mysterious.

On the other hand, those with less understanding may see AI as magical and wonderful. We suggest that this notion of magic makes them more open to using AI tools.

Our studies show that this lower literacy-higher acceptance link is strongest for using AI tools in areas that involve human characteristics, such as providing emotional support or advice. When it comes to tasks that don’t encourage the same idea of ​​human-like qualities—such as analyzing test results—the pattern is reversed. People with higher AI literacy are more receptive to these uses because they focus on the AI’s abilities rather than any “magical” qualities.

It is not about power, fear or morality

Interestingly, this link between lower literacy and higher acceptance persists even though people with lower AI literacy are more likely to view AI as less capable, less ethical, and even somewhat scary. Their openness to AI seems to surprise them with what it can do despite these perceived shortcomings.

This finding provides new insights Why do people react so differently to emerging technologies?. Some study suggestions Consumers favor new technologiesA phenomenon called “algorithm appreciation”, others show skepticism or “algorithm avoidance”. Our research points to perceptions of AI’s “magic” as a key factor shaping these responses.

These insights pose a challenge to policy makers and academics. Efforts to increase AI literacy Perceiving AI as less magical may inadvertently reduce people’s enthusiasm for using AI. This creates a delicate balance between making people understand AI and keeping them open to adopting it.