Fr, Mai 17th 2024
A third of Swiss view AI as a major danger to society, while over 40% fear foreign Internet propaganda’s impact on democracy.
According to a recent survey, around a third of the Swiss population considers artificial intelligence (AI) to be a significant danger to society. Additionally, over 40% believe that the threat to Swiss democracy from foreign Internet propaganda is high to very high. These findings are part of the third “Digital Radar Switzerland” report, published on Thursday by the School of Business at the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland, the JRC Zurich research institute, and the WIR bank.
The survey, conducted last winter, included 1,008 respondents aged 18 and over from both German-speaking and French-speaking regions of Switzerland. The results indicate that older respondents perceive a greater risk of democracy being influenced or jeopardized by foreign Internet propaganda.
Marc K. Peter, the study director from the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland, emphasized the need for intensified knowledge transfer on digital technologies. He called on politics and business sectors to dispel fears and develop solutions. Moreover, he stressed that citizens must also learn how to effectively handle digital technologies.
The survey partners noted that while the assessment of digital technologies’ advantages remains stable, the perception of their dangers and disadvantages is increasing. This sentiment reflects the results of two previous surveys conducted by the same partners.
©Keystone/SDA
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