While China races ahead: Why is the US afraid of artificial intelligence? | Analysis

The article presents a dramatic gap in the perception of artificial intelligence between China and the US: in China, the public embraces the technology as part of daily life and shows high trust, while in the US, concerns are growing about its consequences, ranging from harm to the job market to extreme scenarios of loss of human control. A Morgan Stanley survey shows that 80% of Chinese use AI at least once a week compared to 54% in the US.

The article examines the dramatic gap in the perception of artificial intelligence between the two superpowers, China and the United States. While in China the public embraces the technology as an integral part of daily life and shows high trust, in the US concerns are growing about its consequences – from harm to the job market to extreme scenarios of loss of human control. A survey by investment bank Morgan Stanley found that about 80% of respondents in China use artificial intelligence at least once a week, compared to only about 54% in the United States. Additional surveys by research bodies such as Edelman and Ipsos point to a similar gap in the level of trust and enthusiasm. The article attributes the gap to a combination of culture, trust in institutions, and the manner of exposure to technology: in China, technology is experienced as accessible and efficient through digital government services, while in the US, the public discourse focuses on risks. The political structure also plays a role – a centralized system in China versus a polarized system in the US. The article notes that in China, AI is perceived as a symbol of national progress, while in the US it raises questions about environmental impacts and the concentration of power in the hands of corporations.