That’s according to a new statewide poll from the San Francisco-based Latino Community Foundation, regarded as the largest network of Latino philanthropists in the United States. The poll, released Monday, comes less than two weeks after the California Legislature sent several bills on artificial intelligence to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk.
Per poll, Latino views on AI vary widely — more than half want to learn more on the subject.
About 56 percent of respondents called AI “just a new tool,” similar to other helpful technology advancements. The remaining 44 percent of voters said the tech was a bad idea that would cost jobs.
“It’s clear that this is something that is concerning a number of members of the community, and that’s why so many of them have well-formed opinions,” said Gary Segura, lead researcher for the poll.
This latest poll reinforces a growing concern from Latino workers as AI tools become more accessible and widely used. Last year, a survey from Microsoft’s Annual Work Trend Index showed that 53 percent of U.S. Latino workers were worried that AI could replace their jobs.
There is some consensus among Latinos on AI, particularly when it comes to regulation and training.
Roughly 80 percent of the 902 Latino voters surveyed in the California-focused poll said they would be more likely to vote for a candidate who supports regulating artificial intelligence to ensure it is “safe, secure and trustworthy.” Another two-thirds of respondents would be interested in AI training if it was offered in school or at their workplace.
“We’re interested in smart regulation, good regulation, and ultimately, in an AI future that benefits Latinos,” said Julian Castro, CEO of the Latino Community Foundation.
Last month, California lawmakers passed several bills on AI regulation including limiting the use of deepfakes and requiring large companies developing AI to add testing to their models. Newsom has until Sept. 30 to sign or veto these bills.
“They (Lawmakers) need to check in with the Latino community, and they need to, as they make policy, understand what kind of impact AI is going to have,” Castro said.
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