The survey
A recent survey conducted by Axios, Generation Lab, and Syracuse University reveals that a plurality of computer science experts in the US believe that the country should establish a new federal agency dedicated to governing artificial intelligence (AI). The survey polled 215 computer science professors from 65 prestigious universities in the US on various AI-related topics.
Regulating AI: Who should be in charge?
When asked about the best entity to regulate AI, the majority of respondents (37%) chose a "new Department of AI government agency." Following closely behind was the option of a "global organization or treaty" (22%). In contrast, only 16% of the respondents believed that Congress should be in charge. The remaining respondents were split between "the White House" (4%), "the private sector" (3%), and the opinion that AI should not be regulated (3%).
The future of employment
The survey also delved into how the AI sector will impact future employment. The majority of respondents advised young people to pursue careers in AI, engineering, and data science. Conversely, 31% of the professors polled discouraged pursuing a career in media, while 19% advised against the arts. The most common response, chosen by 42% of the respondents, was "none of the above."
Who controls AI?
When asked about the potential for humans to lose control over AI, the responses were divided. 41% of the experts believed that there is no threshold in the evolution of AI after which humans cannot regain control. On the other hand, 35% answered that there is likely a threshold, while 19% firmly believed that humans will never lose control. Only 6% responded with a definitive "yes" to the question of whether there will be a point where humans will definitely no longer be in control of AI.
An expert perspective different from the general public
The opinions of the computer science experts surveyed contrast with those of the general public and business leaders. While the latter often express concerns about the potential of AI to rapidly reshape the economic and employment landscape, 73% of the professors stated that they believe AI will only be capable of performing less than 20% of the tasks currently done by humans at or above a human-level.
