JULY 7, 2021. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) and “National Priorities” Autonomous Non-Profit Organization present the findings of a survey on the Russian attitudes towards Artificial Intelligence in the framework of the “Artificial Intelligence” federal project as part of the “Digital Economy” national project. The federal project is operated by Russia’s Ministry of Economic Development.
An overwhelming majority of Russians (81%) are aware of what Artificial Intelligence (AI) is referred to*; 32% say they can explain the meaning; 18% do not know what it means. Those who are well informed are young Russians (38-39%), Russians with higher education diplomas (49%), and residents of Moscow and St Petersburg (48%). Those who are less likely to know what AI stands for are respondents aged 60 and older (22%) and women (21%).
When choosing an answer from the list, most of respondents said that AI embraces technologies imitating human cognitive functions (30%), intelligent machines or programs (27%), and self-learning algorithms (26%).
Almost half of Russians (48%) say they trust the artificial intelligence technologies (69% among young respondents aged 18-22); 42% of Russians do not trust them; 10% are undecided.
A third of Russians (33%, +3 p.p. compared to 2019) are afraid of AI taking people’s jobs; 64% of respondents are not afraid of that.
Two-thirds of Russians (67%; 84% among the 18-24-year-olds) would use the opportunity to apply AI in order to decrease the work load and keep the same income; 29% would not use it (38% among those who are afraid of AI taking people’s jobs).
Half of Russians (50%) would like to go through an AI course within the next two or three years (33% would do that to extend their knowledge; 49% have no intention to do that.
A vast majority of Russians (94%) believe that AI in health must find alternatives to solve a problem but the final decision should be left to humans; 3% would trust AI with decision-making. When asked a similar question related to the application of AI in education, 92% asked that the final decision should be made by humans; 5% would trust decision-making with AI.
Most of Russians (79%) consider that the state should promote the development of AI technologies. The major state policies should be as follows: providing financial assistance to companies developing AI technologies (37%), introducing AI technologies in the system of public services (36%), launching and funding professional training programs (35%).
According to 44% of Russians, the use of AI in decision-making within public and municipal administration would lead to fairer decisions (52% among persons aged 60 +); 24% point to a decrease in costs (29% among the 45-59-year-olds); 22% say it will lead to rightsizing (33% of young respondents aged 18-24; 31% among persons with higher education diplomas).
*AI technologies are programs capable of imitating human behavior to perform cognitive tasks such as information analysis, speech and object recognition, forecasting etc., and capable of gradually learning by using the information collected.
Russian nationwide survey was conducted by VCIOM on June 2-3, 2021, and commissioned by National Priorities Autonomous Non-Profit Organization. A total of 1,600 of Russians aged 18 and older took part in the survey. Results are based on telephone interviews (CATI). Sample is based on a complete list of Russian telephone numbers. The data were weighted according to selection probability and social and demographic characteristics. The margin of error at a 95% confidence level does not exceed 2.5%. In addition to sampling error, minor changes to the wording of questions and different circumstances arising during the fieldwork can introduce bias into the survey.
Did you hear before or do you hear for the first time about the artificial intelligence technologies? If you did, will you be able to explain what it is if needed, or not? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | ||||||
| Total respondents | Ages 18-24 | Ages 25-34 | Ages 35-44 | Ages 45-59 | 60+ |
I heard before; I can explain | 32 | 39 | 38 | 35 | 35 | 22 |
I heard before but I cannot explain what it is | 49 | 48 | 43 | 52 | 46 | 55 |
I hear for the first time about it | 18 | 13 | 19 | 12 | 19 | 22 |
Don’t know | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
In your opinion, AI is likely … (closed-ended question, up to 2 answers, % of total respondents) | |
| Total respondents |
Technologies imitating human thinking | 30 |
Intelligent machines or programs | 27 |
Self-learning algorithms | 26 |
Ordinary programs or mechanisms not related to mind | 22 |
Overmind exceeding human performance | 6 |
I do not know what it is | 4 |
Other | 1 |
Don’t know | 8 |
Are you more likely to trust or not to trust the AI technology? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | ||||||
| Total respondents | Ages 18-24 | Ages 25-34 | Ages 35-44 | Ages 45-59 | 60+ |
Likely to trust | 48 | 69 | 52 | 42 | 45 | 44 |
Likely not to trust | 42 | 27 | 40 | 49 | 43 | 44 |
Don’t know | 10 | 4 | 8 | 9 | 12 | 12 |
Are you personally afraid, or not afraid, that in the future a number of tasks in your job/your area will be performed by AI technologies and not a human? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | ||
| 2019* | 2021 |
Definitely afraid | 30 | 13 |
Likely afraid | 20 | |
Likely not afraid | 68 | 29 |
Definitely not afraid | 35 | |
Don’t know | 2 | 3 |
*In 2019, the answer options were “likely afraid”, “likely not afraid” and “don’t know”.
Are you personally afraid, or not afraid, that in the future a number of tasks in your job/your area will be performed by AI technologies and not a human? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | |||||||
| Total respondents | Moscow and St Petersburg | Million-plus cities | 500-950 thousand inhabitants | 100—500 thousand inhabitants | Up to 100 thousand inhabitants | Rural area |
Definitely afraid | 13 | 8 | 12 | 7 | 14 | 20 | 8 |
Likely afraid | 20 | 17 | 14 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 17 |
Likely not afraid | 29 | 36 | 33 | 32 | 25 | 25 | 36 |
Definitely not afraid | 35 | 37 | 38 | 37 | 38 | 28 | 37 |
Don’t know | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 2 |
If you had an opportunity to work less keeping your income at the same level through the use of AI, would you use this opportunity or not? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | ||||||
| Total respondents | Ages 18-24 | Ages 25-34 | Ages 35-44 | Ages 45-59 | 60+ |
Likely to use | 67 | 84 | 67 | 66 | 65 | 65 |
Likely not to use | 29 | 15 | 29 | 31 | 31 | 30 |
Don’t know | 4 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Would you personally like to complete an AI training course within the next 2-3 years, or not? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | |
| Total respondents |
Yes, I would like to improve my current skills in this area | 5 |
Yes, I would like to gain qualification in this area | 12 |
Yes, to broaden my mind | 33 |
No, I would not like to complete an AI course | 49 |
Don’t know | 1 |
Please choose the statement that suit your opinion the best … (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | |
| Total respondents |
AI in healthcare must give a variety of solutions to a problem, but the decision should be made by the human | 94 |
AI in healthcare must take decisions without human’s participation | 3 |
Don’t know | 3 |
Please choose the statement that suit your opinion the best … (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | |
| Total respondents |
AI in education must give a variety of solutions to a problem, but the decision should be made by the human | 92 |
AI in education must take decisions without human’s participation | 5 |
Don’t know | 3 |
If the decision-making in public and municipal administration is carried out by means of AI, the decision being taken should primarily result in… (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | ||||||
| Total respondents | Ages 18-24 | Ages 25-34 | Ages 35-44 | Ages 45-59 | 60+ |
Lower costs | 24 | 21 | 21 | 23 | 29 | 22 |
Rightsizing | 22 | 33 | 28 | 26 | 20 | 12 |
Justice | 44 | 43 | 42 | 40 | 40 | 52 |
Don’t know | 10 | 3 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 14 |
In your opinion, should the state develop AI technologies, or not? If so, in what way? (closed-ended question, any number of answers, % of total respondents, answers of at least 2% of respondents) | |
| Total respondents |
To provide financial assistance to companies developing AI technologies | 37 |
To introduce AI technologies into the public service system | 36 |
To create and fund professional training programs | 35 |
To support personnel retraining programs | 34 |
To introduce AI technologies in public healthcare and public education | 32 |
To develop and improve AI applications laws / to carry out control | 31 |
To encourage organizations to introduce AI technologies | 28 |
The state should not promote the development of AI technology | 9 |
Other | 3 |
Don’t know | 12 |
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