Sign up to receive your twice weekly newsletter

 
A-
A+
A

Exclusive: Poll shows vast bipartisan concern over cyberattacks, support for open-source AI models

A nationwide poll conducted for a bipartisan coalition of tech companies confirms that the inflation, health care, and the economy are top issues on voters’ minds — and that while tech policy isn’t a front-burner issue, voters are generally against regulating America-based tech companies in ways that would stifle innovation.

The poll, first obtained by the Washington Reporter, found that on a scale of one to 100, voters gave regulating U.S. tech companies a 58 in the poll, conducted by Mercury Analytics on behalf of the American Edge Project; the score pales in comparison to issues like Medicare and Social Security, which scored a 91, and national security, which scored a 90.

The relative disinterest amongst voters in tech issues stands in stark contrast to the 2016 and 2020 elections; in the former, Democrats were furious at Facebook for stifling Donald Trump’s campaign. In the latter, Republicans fumed about Twitter’s decision to censor the Hunter Biden laptop story. 

American Edge Project’s findings show that voters, by large margins, prefer a candidate — regardless of party — who “wants to create jobs and strengthen the economy” to one who “wants to further regulate U.S. tech companies.” 

Washington Reporter

 

The American Edge Project poll also explored voter sentiment on open-source Al models, which “makes all of its computer code, operating rules, and data available for everyone to use and improve upon.” Sixty-seven percent of respondents across America believe that the technology “would strengthen our core values and keep the U.S. at the forefront of technology and freedom.”

More broadly, voters understand the importance of utilizing every option to win the tech race against authoritarian countries, agreeing by a 75 percent to 25 percent margin with the statement that “the U.S. should encourage both open and closed source AI development to ensure maximum innovation and security. By avoiding heavy-handed regulation at this early stage of development, we allow the market to grow and let American companies lead in shaping the future of AI.”

Other findings from the poll include that clear majorities of Republicans, Democrats, and Independents are concerned about cyberattacks from foreign actors, American tech companies losing their competitive edge to Chinese companies, and America falling behind China and Russia in AI advancement. 

Washington Reporter

“Voters are very clear what they want from elected officials,” Doug Kelly, the group’s CEO, said of the poll’s results. “They want policymakers to address the everyday pocketbook issues that are challenging their lives, not undermining the American tech innovators that help their families and our country stay ahead. Politicians who prioritize anti-innovation policies are playing a losing hand.”

The group’s conclusion about its latest poll is that “misguided policies that further regulate U.S. tech could have negative unintended consequences that voters are worried about, including greater threats to national security, the stunting of innovations in AI technology, and the U.S. losing its competitive edge to China.”

Keep getting content like this delivered straight to your inbox!
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Mobile Opt-In
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Subscribe