Should AI Control the Government? Many Young Voters Think So

Should artificial intelligence (AI) eventually control basic human rights, the government, and even the military? A growing share of young voters seems to think so. As trust in traditional institutions erodes, young Americans are increasingly looking to technology, not elected leaders, to make major decisions about society’s future.

AI Authority

According to a new survey by Rasmussen Reports and The Heartland Institute’s Glenn C. Haskins Emerging Issues Center, a shocking 41% of young voters support giving AI unprecedented authority “to control public policymaking decisions.”

The poll, which examined 1,496 likely voters aged 18-39, also found that 36% of respondents would support giving AI the “authority to determine the rights that belong to individuals and families, including rights related to speech, religious practices, government authority, and property.”

Thirty-five percent of young voters would also approve of a plan to give control of “all the world’s largest militaries” to AI.

The poll results stunned Heartland Institute experts, who warned that younger generations “are increasingly disillusioned with the failures of traditional institutions, so much so, that they are willing to hand control to artificial intelligence.”

“For many, the thought process is: These institutions are already so broken, corrupt, and ineffective, how could it get any worse if we were to put AI in charge? These poll results illustrate an incredibly dangerous trajectory for any society that values personal autonomy and liberty,” the experts noted.

The Dangers of AI

While AI has the potential to change life for the better by helping people solve complex problems, it also has the ability to cause great harm. According to tech giant IBM, AI is already creating major problems that threaten security, privacy, and human existence as we know it.

One of those challenges is bias. AI systems learn from human-generated content, absorbing and copying prejudices. From discrimination against certain groups to healthcare diagnostics errors, IBM warned that AI bias can produce “potentially harmful outcomes.”

Cybersecurity threats are another immediate concern. Criminals are already using AI to clone voices, write scam emails, and create fake identities – and the organizations that are building AI do not always secure their systems.

AI is also raising concerns related to data privacy. The large language models (LLMs) that power chatbots are typically trained on material pulled from online sources. That data, which may even include personal information, is often scraped without users’ consent.

A growing number of Americans are also worried about AI automation stealing jobs. While the technology could trigger growth in certain fields, like machine learning specialists and robotics engineers, it will likely hurt other occupations, including data entry and customer service.

There’s also the issue of accountability when AI systems fail. Who is responsible when a self-driving car has an accident or when someone is wrongfully arrested due to inaccurate facial recognition? Right now, the answer to that question is unclear.

To make matters worse, AI is a powerful tool for spreading misinformation, IBM warned. Resisting political deepfakes and AI-generated robocalls requires high-quality data, extensive testing, and intense human oversight.

As AI becomes more integrated into the everyday lives of Americans, understanding the risks associated with it is essential. Proactively addressing those risks will help ensure the advanced technology serves society rather than facilitating its decline – especially if younger generations want AI to play a key role in future policymaking decisions.

1. Forty-one percent of young voters support giving AI control of public policymaking decisions.
2. AI is expected to displace some workers, especially those who work in data entry and customer service.
3. AI is a tool that can be used to spread misinformation, making vigilance critical.