60 pc S Koreans say AI could bring more good than harm: Report

Seoul, Aug 7: About 60 per cent of South Koreans believe that artificial intelligence could bring more potential benefits than potential dangers, a government survey showed on Wednesday.

The survey of 765 people, conducted by the Ministry of Science and ICT in June and July, showed that 57 per cent of the respondents say the potential benefits of AI could outweigh the potential dangers.

According to the survey, 23.7 per cent said there could be an even chance of potential benefits and dangers posed by AI.

The remaining 19.1 per cent said AI could pose more potential dangers than benefits.

Asked what the potential benefits posed by AI would be, 30.6 per cent of the respondents said an AI system would "improve the convenience of ordinary life."

Another 19.6 per cent said an AI system would "enhance efficiency of work."

Asked what the potential dangers posed by AI would be, 18.5 per cent said an AI model could cause damage due to a "malfunction."

Another 18.3 per cent said damage could be caused if someone uses AI with "malicious intention."

The survey also showed that 55 per cent of the respondents said innovation is more important than regulation to foster the "safe" growth of AI.

On the contrary, research from the American-based Pew Research Center revealed that a majority of teachers are uncertain about the use of AI tools in education.

A quarter of public teachers believe AI tools do more harm than good, while 32 per cent believe there is an equal mix of benefit and harm. High school teachers are more likely to hold negative views about AI tools, with 35 per cent saying they do more harm than good.

A separate survey asked U.S. teens about their experiences with ChatGPT, a generative AI tool, and their views on its use in schoolwork.

Among teens, 69 per cent consider it acceptable to use ChatGPT for research, 39 per cent for solving math problems, and 20 per cent for writing essays.

Overall, the verdict remains uncertain.