A survey conducted by Axios, Generation Lab, and Syracuse University has found that experts in the field believe the United States should establish a dedicated federal agency for governing artificial intelligence (AI).
The survey collected responses from 213 computer science professors across 65 prestigious US universities, focusing on topics related to AI. The data reveals that when questioned about the most suitable entity for AI regulation, the majority of respondents opted for a "new 'AI sector' government agency" (37%) or a "global organization or treaty" (22%).
Only 16% favored "Congress," while just 2% more respondents chose "Irrelevant: AI cannot be regulated." The remaining 10% split their responses among the White House (4%), the private sector (3%), and " No: AI should not be regulated" (3%). The survey also delved into the AI industry's potential impact on future employment. Most respondents advised young individuals to pursue careers in artificial intelligence, engineering, and data science. Conversely, 31% recommended against pursuing a career in media, and 19% discouraged careers in the arts.
A significant 42% chose "None of the above" when asked which fields young people should avoid. When queried about whether there exists a point in AI's evolution beyond which humans cannot regain control, responses were divided: "no, probably not" ( 41 %), "yes, probably" (35%), "No, definitely not" (19%), and "Yes, definitely" (6%).
Overall, the sentiments among these experts align with those of the public and business leaders. Many in the business world conduct surveys that often overestimate AI's potential to rapidly reshape the economy and employment landscape, with 73% of professors believing AI will be capable of performing tasks currently done by humans at a level exceeding 80% of human capacity or even surpassing it.
