Who’s afraid of AI? New York and Connecticut voice concerns 

The Empire and Nutmeg states are among those with AI anxiety, according to a new study. 

The research team at Ask Optimo, an AI-powered tool, analyzed around 1,000 Google queries related to AI concerns across every U.S. state to establish the states most concerned about AI, with New York and Connecticut finishing third and sixth respectively. 

New York ranked behind Washington and Massachusetts, with a search volume of 1,364 per 100,000 residents. The state is one of the biggest technology centers in the country, so it’s not surprising that residents are curious and even worried about where AI may take us. This state has the highest search volume for queries such as “AI risks” and “Can AI attack humans?” 

Connecticut placed after New Jersey and California but before Virginia, Florida, Oregon and Georgia, with 1,206 searches per 100,000 residents. This state boasts one of the fastest-growing tech hubs in the country, which makes for interest in the nature and rise of AI. Residents’ searches vary from “Is AI safe?” to “AI detectors.” 

The states least concerned about AI were Arkansas, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, South Dakota, Nebraska, Montana, Wyoming and Mississippi.  

According to Reuters: “More than two-thirds of Americans are concerned about the negative effects of AI and 61% believe it could threaten civilization.”