EU citizens are enthusiastic about AI use in law enforcement, but some fear 
it is a danger to democracy

Date:
Sat, 14 Dec 2024 11:01:00 +0000

Description:
Europeans show enthusiasm for AI in law enforcement, yet there are concerns
about its influence on elections and misinformation.

FULL STORY

A new report from IE University in Madrid suggests a decent level of support
for the implementation of AI in security and surveillance, with many 
Europeans favoring the use of technologies like facial recognition and
biometric data. 

However, concerns about AIs role in elections and public decision-making
highlight the complex relationship between trust in AI and fears of
manipulation. 

According to the study, 75% of respondents support the use of AI technologies
by police and military forces. Given Europes stringent data privacy laws, 
such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the fear of 
authorities or AI misusing data is far lower than it would be in the US. GDPR
imposes severe penalties for non-compliance, with fines reaching up to 4% of 
a companys annual revenue or 20 million euros, whichever is higher.

Fear of manipulation persists

While many Europeans are comfortable with AIs use in public administration 
and security, they express significant concern about its impact on elections.
The report found that 67% of respondents fear that AI could manipulate
democratic processes, particularly by spreading misinformation. 

Moreover, nearly a third (31%) of Europeans believe AI has already played a
role in shaping their voting decisions, underscoring the growing influence of
these technologies in political campaigns. 

The public enthusiasm for AI use in some areas like traffic management is 
high with 79% of respondents supporting its use in optimizing transportation
systems. However, opinions shift when AI is applied to more sensitive tasks,
such as deciding parole outcomes, with 64% opposing its involvement in
judicial matters. 

The younger generation, aged 18 to 34, is more open to the idea of delegating
political decisions to AI and about 34% of respondents in this age group said
they would trust an AI-powered app to vote on their behalf. 

Only 29% of individuals aged 35 to 44 would consider using AI to cast their
votes. The skepticism becomes even more pronounced among older adults, with
just 9% of people aged 65 and above willing to trust AI in the voting 
process. 

Via CNBC

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Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/pro/EU-citizens-are-enthusiastic-about-AI-use-in-law
-enforcement,-but-some-fear-it-is-a-danger-to-democracy

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