Balancing risks and benefits: public perceptions of AI through traditional surveys and social media analysis

The rapid evolution of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has broadened discussions about its social and technological implications. The purpose of this study is to examine the perception of risks and benefits associated with AI, focusing on privacy, cybersecurity, trust in government management, and online device acceptance over time. We used an integrative approach that combined questionnaires and data analysis from X via Natural Language Processing (NLP). The traditional survey had 1013 participants in 2018 and 1000 in 2021, while X’s analysis examined approximately 7.5 million tweets in the same period. The results indicate a constant concern with the risks of AI, such as the dehumanization of services (86%), job loss (82%), changes in labor functions (89%), privacy (87%), and cyber-attacks (87%). X also highlighted ethical concerns and the use of algorithms, perceived as a “threat cloud.” Acceptance of connected devices was low (23%), reflecting security and privacy concerns. Confidence in government management was remarkably low in relation to cybersecurity (12%) and privacy (13%). Nevertheless, there is a modest increase in the perception of the benefits of AI, such as technological advances and efficiency. This study underscores the need for collaborative and effective policies and the promotion of a culture of responsibility to maximize the benefits of AI while mitigating risks. The practical implications of these findings are discussed, emphasizing the importance of policies and regulations to address emerging digital threats.