The OpenAI logo is seen displayed on a cellphone with an image on a computer monitor generated by ChatGPT's Dall-E text-to-image model, Dec. 8, 2023, in Boston. AP, Michael Dwyer
Despite worries artificial intelligence lacks empathy and could be coming to steal their jobs, a growing number of Canadians are turning to AI tools, a new poll suggests.
Thirty per cent of Canadians now use artificial intelligence tools, the Leger poll suggested, up from 25 per cent a year ago, though two-thirds of respondents said the prospect of having them in their lives is scary.
The poll of 1,614 Canadians shows a distinct divide between how younger and older people view AI — 58 per cent of those 18 to 34 reported using AI tools, compared to just 13 per cent of those 55 and older.
Christian Bourque, executive vice-president of Leger, said the number of people who have been exposed to or interacted with AI is probably higher than reported, because some individuals may not be aware they’re using it. A website might have a chatbot introduce themselves as Dave, for example — and the user may not realize Dave isn’t a real person.
Respondents aged 18 to 34 were more familiar with the concept of chatbots, or automated chat assistants on websites, with 64 per cent reporting familiarity compared to 38 per cent for those older than 55. The poll does not have a margin of error because online polls aren’t considered truly random samples.
Those who have used AI services or tools generally had a good experience with them, with 71 per cent rating them as good or excellent.
But Canadians, in general, appear to have mixed feelings, with 31 per cent of respondents taking the position they’re good for society and 32 per cent that they’re bad for society. Where respondents stood on the issue varied with age; 42 per cent of younger respondents thought AI tools were good for society, compared to only 23 per cent of older Canadians.
Some of the common worries are privacy and concerns that society is going to become too dependent on AI, which 81 per cent of those polled agreed with. Three-quarters said AI tools lack the emotion and empathy required to make good decisions and threaten human jobs.
Bourque said those results indicate that “people have fairly deep-rooted fears about the use of AI in our society.”
Most, or 58 per cent, trust AI to adjust their thermostat, play music or vacuum their house, while slightly fewer, 53 per cent, trust using facial recognition or biometrics to access personal information.
Canadians are more cautious about using AI tools to create content for important projects at school or work, with only 37 trusting them in that context. The age gap was evident in that question, too, with 44 per cent of those 18 to 34 having confidence in the tech for those projects, compared to 29 per cent of those 55-plus.
Similarly, nearly half of younger respondents were OK with tech platforms using AI to decide what content to show on social media, compared to 23 per cent of older Canadians.
The trust drops when it comes to personal safety. Fewer than one-quarter had faith in AI to transport them in a vehicle, though the age gap was evident again, with 28 per cent of the youngest demographic trusting AI driving compared to only 16 per cent of the oldest.
A similar divide was evident when it comes to relying on AI to find a life partner online, something a quarter of respondents 18 to 34 trusted the tech to do, compared to only 10 per cent of those older than 55.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 9, 2024.
Lynx Air announced Thursday that it has filed for creditor protection from the Court of King’s Bench of Alberta. The airline said in a release that it will cease operations at midnight, Monday, Feb. 26, with flights continuing until then.
A spacecraft built and flown by Texas-based company Intuitive Machines landed near the moon's south pole on Thursday, the first U.S. touchdown on the lunar surface in more than half a century and the first ever achieved by the private sector.
A Waterloo couple is grateful to be back home after they say they were detained for several hours at a Punta Cana airport, accused of carrying drugs.
A photo of federal Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay eating lobster in Malaysia during an official trip has some people seeing red.
Ten delays, one cancellation, and about 27 hours later, Air Canada travellers trying to jet out of Fort Lauderdale finally made what one of them is calling a 'hellish journey' back to Toronto.
A set of smart vending machines at the University of Waterloo is expected to be removed from campus after students raised privacy concerns about their software.
The judge overseeing the US$355 million civil fraud case has denied Donald Trump’s request to delay the judgment for a month.
Premier David Eby has been clear that speculators are in his crosshairs, and with the 2024 budget his government has announced details of a new 'BC Home Flipping Tax.'
Research has shown that sex trafficking is rampant. For Canadians reading this story this means that within one kilometre from where you’re presently located, a young person is being lured into sex trafficking.
A Waterloo couple is grateful to be back home after they say they were detained for several hours at a Punta Cana airport, accused of carrying drugs.
Premier David Eby has been clear that speculators are in his crosshairs, and with the 2024 budget his government has announced details of a new 'BC Home Flipping Tax.'
The worker killed when a crane's load came crashing down at the massive Oakridge Park development project in South Vancouver this week was a mother of two, sources tell CTV News.
Ten delays, one cancellation, and about 27 hours later, Air Canada travellers trying to jet out of Fort Lauderdale finally made what one of them is calling a 'hellish journey' back to Toronto.
Westlock residents are voting Thursday on a bylaw that would prohibit rainbow crosswalks, a common symbol of support for the LGBTQ2S+ community, and restrict the town to flying only government flags.
There were haunting scenes in Port Coquitlam Wednesday evening, as family and friends of women victimized by serial killer Robert Pickton held a vigil in their memory, at the site of the former pig farm.
The judge overseeing the US$355 million civil fraud case has denied Donald Trump’s request to delay the judgment for a month.
A fire engulfed two residential buildings in the eastern Spanish city of Valencia on Thursday, killing four people and leaving 19 others missing hours after the blaze started, authorities said.
Israeli strikes have killed at least 71 people in southern and central Gaza during roughly the past 24 hours, the territory's health officials said Thursday.
A Black high school student’s monthslong punishment by his Texas school district for refusing to change his hairstyle does not violate a new state law that prohibits race-based hair discrimination, a judge ruled on Thursday.
U.S. authorities have accused another sanitation company of illegally hiring at least two dozen children to clean dangerous meat processing facilities, the latest example of illegal child labour that officials say is increasingly common.
A fire that killed five members of a Missouri family was intentionally set by the mother, police said.
A photo of federal Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay eating lobster in Malaysia during an official trip has some people seeing red.
Justin Trudeau took an unprompted jab at Pierre Poilievre over a Senate porn bill that the prime minister says could usher in a digital ID for adults who want to browse certain websites.
Canada is the only NATO member without a plan or a timeline to reach the alliance's target of spending two per cent of GDP on defence, according to the U.S. ambassador to NATO.
More people are injured by treadmills than any other piece of exercise equipment, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. More than 22,000 treadmill injuries resulted in hospital emergency room visits in 2019.
Amid a growing number of measles outbreaks in the United States and Europe, health officials are warning the public about the possibilities of outbreaks in Canada, with one infectious disease specialist saying even a few measles cases can spark an outbreak.
Alabama's largest hospital paused in vitro fertilization treatments Wednesday as providers and patients across the state scrambled to assess the impact of a court ruling that said frozen embryos are the legal equivalent of children.
A spacecraft built and flown by Texas-based company Intuitive Machines landed near the moon's south pole on Thursday, the first U.S. touchdown on the lunar surface in more than half a century and the first ever achieved by the private sector.
A set of smart vending machines at the University of Waterloo is expected to be removed from campus after students raised privacy concerns about their software.
Putting a wet iPhone in uncooked rice has for years been a popular method to dry it out, but the company now says that's not what users should do.
Sylvester Stallone revealed that he had seven major surgeries after suffering a neck fracture shooting a fight scene with Stone Cold Steve Austin on the set of “The Expendables” in 2010.
Former talk show host Wendy Williams has been diagnosed with progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia, according to representatives for Williams.
Toronto native Mae Martin will host the 2024 Canadian Screen Awards.
Lynx Air announced Thursday that it has filed for creditor protection from the Court of King’s Bench of Alberta. The airline said in a release that it will cease operations at midnight, Monday, Feb. 26, with flights continuing until then.
The high cost of groceries isn't just taking a bite out of Canadians' bank accounts, it's also devouring any hope that prices may decrease.
Canada's largest grocer expects this year to be much like the last: customers continuing to seek discounts and deals, leading to more growth at the company’s discount brands and banners, and higher profits.
Bobi the dog, who died last year reportedly at the age of 31, has been stripped of the world’s oldest ever dog title following a review by Guinness World Records (GWR), the organization announced Thursday.
The newest multi-millionaire is advised to sign the back of their winning ticket immediately and head to a retailer to have it validated, so the OLG is notified.
More people are injured by treadmills than any other piece of exercise equipment, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. More than 22,000 treadmill injuries resulted in hospital emergency room visits in 2019.
Mississippi's Republican attorney general sued the Republican state auditor Thursday, saying the auditor is trying to usurp her authority over recovering interest on misspent welfare money from retired NFL quarterback Brett Favre, money that was supposed to help some of the poorest people in the U.S.
He's a runner, a juggler and now Jean-Marc Doiron finds himself joggling, and chasing a world record.
Auston Matthews scored his 50th and 51st goals of the season in his hometown to break a tie as the fastest U.S.-born player to reach 50 and help the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the crumbling Arizona Coyotes 6-3 on Wednesday night.
Toyota is conducting a safety recall to approximately 28,061 SUVs and pickup trucks in Canada involving transmission issues, the company said in a press release on Thursday.
There are additional aspects about buying an EV that you'll need to consider in order to get the best value. The car experts at Edmunds have put together five tips on what you need to know.
Even though authorities are trying to crack down on car thefts in Montreal, three men accused of operating a luxury car theft ring in the city walked free last month because it took too long for their case to go to trial.
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
