A new survey conducted by the market research institute Ipsos, in cooperation with the Department of Journalism at Charles University in Prague and the Czech Technology Agency, reveals a growing awareness among Czechs of the ubiquitous presence of artificial intelligence (AI) in their everyday lives. While the use of AI platforms such as ChatGPT has risen sharply, concerns about possible negative effects prevail.
Almost half of Czechs are concerned about the integration of AI into various areas of life. The most common concerns relate to the decline in interpersonal communication and the potential risks of AI misuse by individuals or authorities. Around 47% of respondents have negative expectations of the technology, while only 23% see positive aspects. People are particularly concerned about the loss of digital privacy and the potential negative impact on communication.
Despite these concerns, the use of AI tools such as ChatGPT has developed rapidly. A third of the population already has experience with this platform, compared to 15% a year ago. The main motivations for using ChatGPT are curiosity (83%) and fun (72%), but use for work and study purposes is also on the rise (59%). Men, young people, and people with higher education use these tools more often than others.
In addition to the growing popularity of ChatGPT, other AI-supported services are also increasingly being used. Sixteen percent of Czechs have tried Microsoft Bing/Copilot, and around 10% have had experience with Canva or Google Bard/Gemini. Czechs are aware of the potential impact of AI on their jobs: 15% expect a significant impact and almost a third expect at least a minor impact on various professional fields.
The biggest change due to AI is expected in professions such as graphic design and software development. The impact on journalism is also estimated to be significant. Václav Moravec, lead researcher of the TA ČR research project, emphasizes that the research aims to better adapt journalism to the changes brought about by AI, be it through speech synthesis or automated text creation.
More than half of Czechs say they come into contact with AI daily, whether through chatbots, fitness trackers, or personalized product recommendations. Despite the positive aspects, three-quarters of the population see a lack of supervision and regulation of AI. In particular, two-thirds call for strict regulation of AI used for military purposes and biometric recognition systems, while half of the respondents would also like to see strict regulations on the use of AI in the interpretation of the law.
The results of the survey reflect the complex relationship that Czechs have with AI: on the one hand, they recognize the benefits and progress that this technology brings, but on the other hand, they have profound concerns about its possible negative consequences in the future.
