Perils, power and promises: Latent profile analysis on the attitudes towards artificial intelligence (AI) among middle-aged and older adults in Hong Kong

With the increasing influence of artificial intelligence (AI) on various aspects of society, understanding public attitudes towards AI becomes crucial. This study investigated attitudes towards AI among Hong Kong middle-aged and older adults. In June 2023, an online survey was conducted among a samp...

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Main Authors: Ngai-Yin Eric Shum, Hi-Po Bobo Lau
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-08-01
Series:Computers in Human Behavior: Artificial Humans
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949882124000513
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author Ngai-Yin Eric Shum
Hi-Po Bobo Lau
author_facet Ngai-Yin Eric Shum
Hi-Po Bobo Lau
author_sort Ngai-Yin Eric Shum
collection DOAJ
description With the increasing influence of artificial intelligence (AI) on various aspects of society, understanding public attitudes towards AI becomes crucial. This study investigated attitudes towards AI among Hong Kong middle-aged and older adults. In June 2023, an online survey was conducted among a sample of 740 smartphone users aged 45 years or older (Max = 78) in Hong Kong. Using exploratory factor analysis, we found three factors from the General Attitude to Artificial Intelligence Scale (GAAIS) - Perils, Power, and Promises. Subsequently, with latent profile analysis we revealed three latent profiles: (i) Enthusiasts (18.4%; high on Promises and Power but low on Perils); (ii) Skeptics (12.3%; high on Perils but low on Promises and Power), and (iii) Indecisive (69.3%; moderate on all three factors). The Enthusiasts were more likely to be male, with higher socio-economic status, better self-rated health, and greater mobile device proficiency, optimism, innovativeness, but also less insecurity with technology, compared to the Indecisive, and then to the Skeptics. Our findings suggest that most middle-aged and older adults in Hong Kong hold an ambivalent view towards AI, appreciating its power and potentials while also cognizant of the perils it may entail. Our findings are timely considering the recent debates on ethical use of AI evoked by smart phone applications such as ChatGPT and will be valuable for practitioners and scholars for developing inclusive AI-facilitated services and applications.
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series Computers in Human Behavior: Artificial Humans
spelling doaj-art-29db79e58c0f4dc5b38a4c9ef134499b2024-12-04T05:15:04ZengElsevierComputers in Human Behavior: Artificial Humans2949-88212024-08-0122100091Perils, power and promises: Latent profile analysis on the attitudes towards artificial intelligence (AI) among middle-aged and older adults in Hong KongNgai-Yin Eric Shum0Hi-Po Bobo Lau1Department of Counselling & Psychology, Hong Kong Shue Yan University, Hong KongCorresponding author.; Department of Counselling & Psychology, Hong Kong Shue Yan University, Hong KongWith the increasing influence of artificial intelligence (AI) on various aspects of society, understanding public attitudes towards AI becomes crucial. This study investigated attitudes towards AI among Hong Kong middle-aged and older adults. In June 2023, an online survey was conducted among a sample of 740 smartphone users aged 45 years or older (Max = 78) in Hong Kong. Using exploratory factor analysis, we found three factors from the General Attitude to Artificial Intelligence Scale (GAAIS) - Perils, Power, and Promises. Subsequently, with latent profile analysis we revealed three latent profiles: (i) Enthusiasts (18.4%; high on Promises and Power but low on Perils); (ii) Skeptics (12.3%; high on Perils but low on Promises and Power), and (iii) Indecisive (69.3%; moderate on all three factors). The Enthusiasts were more likely to be male, with higher socio-economic status, better self-rated health, and greater mobile device proficiency, optimism, innovativeness, but also less insecurity with technology, compared to the Indecisive, and then to the Skeptics. Our findings suggest that most middle-aged and older adults in Hong Kong hold an ambivalent view towards AI, appreciating its power and potentials while also cognizant of the perils it may entail. Our findings are timely considering the recent debates on ethical use of AI evoked by smart phone applications such as ChatGPT and will be valuable for practitioners and scholars for developing inclusive AI-facilitated services and applications.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949882124000513Artificial intelligenceAttitudesMiddle-agedOlder adultsLatent profile analysisChatGPT
spellingShingle Ngai-Yin Eric Shum
Hi-Po Bobo Lau
Perils, power and promises: Latent profile analysis on the attitudes towards artificial intelligence (AI) among middle-aged and older adults in Hong Kong
Computers in Human Behavior: Artificial Humans
Artificial intelligence
Attitudes
Middle-aged
Older adults
Latent profile analysis
ChatGPT
title Perils, power and promises: Latent profile analysis on the attitudes towards artificial intelligence (AI) among middle-aged and older adults in Hong Kong
title_full Perils, power and promises: Latent profile analysis on the attitudes towards artificial intelligence (AI) among middle-aged and older adults in Hong Kong
title_fullStr Perils, power and promises: Latent profile analysis on the attitudes towards artificial intelligence (AI) among middle-aged and older adults in Hong Kong
title_full_unstemmed Perils, power and promises: Latent profile analysis on the attitudes towards artificial intelligence (AI) among middle-aged and older adults in Hong Kong
title_short Perils, power and promises: Latent profile analysis on the attitudes towards artificial intelligence (AI) among middle-aged and older adults in Hong Kong
title_sort perils power and promises latent profile analysis on the attitudes towards artificial intelligence ai among middle aged and older adults in hong kong
topic Artificial intelligence
Attitudes
Middle-aged
Older adults
Latent profile analysis
ChatGPT
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949882124000513
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