site.btaTrend Poll: AI Will Lead to Loss of Jobs

According to 45% of Bulgarians AI will lead to loss of jobs. Some 37% are concerned that it could replace human labour in their field of work. Nearly one fifth share the opinion that AI should be banned because it poses danger to people.

The data are from a Trend poll, commissioned by the 24 Chasa newspaper, into the attitudes of Bulgarians towards AI. The survey has been carried out between June 10 and 16 through face-to-face interviews among 1,008 adult respondents.  

The majority of Bulgarians, 63%, say that they know what AI is. Four in ten people express a negative attitude towards its use. The young have the most positive perceptions, and with age the share of negative answers increases. For nearly two-thirds news and publications about AI are not of interest. 

According to the poll, for the public the most acceptable use of AI is in call centres and the technology sector. Self-driving cars and the use of AI in medicine incite the most mistrust. The majority of Bulgarians would not trust AI in areas such as education, financial services, accounting and journalism either.

As few as 8% back the idea for AI to develop freely because it will be of help to people. Nearly one fifth (19%) believe that AI should be banned and another 57% that it should be regulated not to pose danger to people.