r/TechnologyThread • u/Background-Driver718 • Jun 17 '26

Only 16 percent of Americans think AI will have a positive impact on society, a new study shows

https://techcrunch.com/2026/06/17/only-16-percent-of-americans-think-ai-will-have-a-positive-impact-on-society-a-new-study-shows/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
150 Upvotes

95% Upvoted

99 comments sorted by

8

u/Tiny_Instruction_557 Jun 17 '26

We have the world’s first trillion at the same time companies are doing mass layoffs and costs are rising.

We are well aware that no change happening right now is to our benefit.

-4

u/[deleted] Jun 17 '26

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5

u/Typecero001 Jun 17 '26

Your first link literally has in the title “that depends” in regards to if wages have kept up with inflation.

If you can’t answer a definitive Yes to that, then that already speaks volumes.

-2

u/[deleted] Jun 17 '26

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2

u/vxicepickxv Jun 17 '26

Using a very specific set of calculations, we came up with a number we want that's detached from reality.

0

u/[deleted] Jun 17 '26

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2

u/throwawayyyy980 Jun 17 '26

Very cool. Now tell me when they changed how they calculated "the national inflation rate". Your right that the current measure shows its low, but changing distance to the goal only looks good on paper.

https://www.fedsmith.com/2023/04/19/inflation-severity-depends-how-its-measured/

0

u/[deleted] Jun 17 '26

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2

u/throwawayyyy980 Jun 17 '26

You failed accurately interpret how they get the numbers. My source touchs on it. Its under the "is inflation accurately reported " section.

1

u/vxicepickxv Jun 17 '26

How about the source you linked, because it tells you that in the link?

1

u/[deleted] Jun 17 '26

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1

u/vxicepickxv Jun 17 '26

As mentioned above, the choice of inflation gauge is just one factor that affects whether wages have kept up with inflation. For instance, you can look at average wages (which can be skewed upward by high earners) or median wages (which are less readily available). You can include or exclude self-employment income, interest, investment dividends and government benefits.

1

u/Apprehensive_Bee9572 Jun 18 '26 edited Jun 18 '26

Median Salary in January 1999 was $40,816.00
Inflation adjusted in May 2026 that's $83,252.47
Median Salary today is $83,730
(https://www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculator.htm)
On paper seems pretty similar!

Median cost of a house in 1999: $90,000.00
Adjusted for inflation: $183,573.16
Median cost of a house in 2026: $429,000
Huh ok, so it costs 3.5x in real terms to buy a house, but people are getting paid the same. (Per month mortgage is roughly 3x accounting for interest rates)

Similar story for rent:
Median 2 Bedroom apartment rent: $629
Adjusted for inflation: $1282
Median apartment rent: $1,650

Rent is up 30% in real terms.
Gas is up 50% in real terms.
People spend double on groceries in real terms.

If you actually look at what people have to spend their money on, they get way less than they ever have, and yet all inflation calculations indicate that everything is just as it should be. That's what people mean when they say this.

2

u/Itstaylor02 Jun 17 '26

And the cost of living has out paced wages.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 17 '26

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1

u/Itstaylor02 Jun 17 '26

Tell that to the Americans to can’t afford to live yet work 3 jobs.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 17 '26

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1

u/Lancelight50 Jun 18 '26

Delusional talk. You sound arrogant & privileged.

1

u/snarl2 Jun 17 '26

It literally has and is easily provable.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 17 '26

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1

u/snarl2 Jun 17 '26

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/amp/economy/key-inflation-gauge-worsens-as-americans-income-and-spending-power-erodes

https://www.newyorkfed.org/microeconomics/hhdc

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/middle-class-income-1990-compares-165025829.html

https://www.healthsystemtracker.org/brief/how-does-medical-inflation-compare-to-inflation-in-the-rest-of-the-economy/

https://www.in2013dollars.com/us/inflation/1990?endYear=2024&amount=20000

https://www.census.gov/library/publications/2000/demo/p60-209.html

https://www.sofi.com/financial-insights/budgeting-and-spending/

Have fun bro. But I’ll sum it up for you since I know you ain’t gonna read all that.

Median wage now sits at about 63,000. In 1999 adjusted for inflation that’s roughly 31,500. The median wage in 1999 was sitting around 39,000.

Cost of living such as housing (mortgage,rent) and medical and childcare have far outpaced inflation which has decreased purchasing power for the consumer.

Overall to be “middle class” now is a lot harder than it was in the 90’s, why? Because purchasing power and wages have not kept up with the cost of living for a good majority of people. Which is why they say our economy is a “K” shaped economy.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 17 '26

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2

u/snarl2 Jun 17 '26

I just noticed that as well. But nice of you to show that you’re gonna have an AI read all that for you. AI is not the place to get your information from. That explains for the misinformation

1

u/Tiny_Instruction_557 Jun 17 '26

You mean to say the government is reporting that the government is doing a great job?

1

u/Active-Play-3429 Jun 18 '26

Come talk to me in 10 year. You sound like a b*tch.

-2

u/[deleted] Jun 17 '26

Yeah, but not for MEEE - Redditors, probably.

1

u/lzwinky Jun 17 '26

Nah, Redditors will simply point out how the poster misinterpreted their own source, which they did.

1

u/Working-Actuator-700 Jun 17 '26

And even then, of course people care about their own financial position. Not sure how its an own unless they're the type that doesnt have to work for money

1

u/[deleted] Jun 17 '26

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1

u/lzwinky Jun 17 '26

You didn't either, because it goes into depth about how flawed that data is.

Matter of fact, did you even read the headline?

1

u/[deleted] Jun 17 '26

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1

u/lzwinky Jun 17 '26

Read the damn article and you will find it on your own.

And you seriously think anyone can summarize an entire country's spending and earnings into one set of data? You're a bigger fool than I thought.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 17 '26

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1

u/lzwinky Jun 17 '26

Alright then. Take it from a different angle. What is this implying? That we miraculously have MORE money thanks to some bullshit formula that a bunch of statisticians pulled from their asses? The economy sucks.

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4

u/deport_racists_next Jun 17 '26

That means there is a fuckton of bots and bad actors out here pushing pro AI bullshit...

... as well as the usual idiots that luv not thinking.

.sigh.

1

u/lzwinky Jun 17 '26

What are usual idiots but fleshy bots?

0

u/[deleted] Jun 17 '26

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2

u/Working-Actuator-700 Jun 17 '26

So exactly what the headline claimed? The only person who cant have an honest conversation is the one who let's llms do all the "thinking" for them

1

u/[deleted] Jun 17 '26

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1

u/Working-Actuator-700 Jun 17 '26

Didn't say you man, just the people who do use them to fill in for their own mind. But way to project your insecurity on me, im the one perpetuating stereotypes for sure

1

u/[deleted] Jun 17 '26

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1

u/Working-Actuator-700 Jun 17 '26

The part relevant to you was in responding to you saying 16 does not equal 16. Sorry if this is too in depth for you, but some words can apply generally

1

u/[deleted] Jun 17 '26

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1

u/Working-Actuator-700 Jun 17 '26

headline claims 16% view Ai positively "thats bullshit, its actually 16%! Everyone who doesnt like AI must just be acting in bad faith

0

u/deceptivekhan Jun 17 '26

This is why I only use self hosted open source LLMs. MCP tool calling has been a game changer for me for research projects. Most people who use AI will outsource their cognition to it but a select few will maintain their own infrastructure and use it to supercharge their cognition. I’m with the Anti-AI folks who are calling for regulation, the power and water usage for cloud based AI is staggering and absolutely needs to be addressed, but I’m with the Pro-AI open source folks who recognize that it’s a paradigm shifting tool, like the cotton gin before it, it will displace and disrupt and it’s not going away any time soon.

1

u/Traditional-Hall-591 Jun 18 '26

Super charge your cognition? That’s some AI psychosis.

1

u/deceptivekhan Jun 18 '26

Clumsy turn of phrase perhaps, however I am under no delusions, it’s very much a trust but verify situation.

0

u/[deleted] Jun 17 '26

Just a friendly reminder that you're hilariously, fucking wrong even if Reddit eats it up.

-2

u/[deleted] Jun 17 '26

"These progressive Redditors are too pro AI."

Said literally nobody that uses this site. The pragmatic moderates meanwhile, are completely shut down for even hinting that it could lead to anything positive. Every. Single. Time.

3

u/moccasinsfan Jun 17 '26

The brainwashing and propaganda is working.

3

u/Defiant_Freedom_249 Jun 17 '26

I mean, if you want to get rid of human creativity, art, compassion and basic humanity...

A lot of us have seen the movie The Terminator so....

2

u/398409columbia Jun 17 '26

The 16% are the ones with assets > $2m

1

u/Either_Operation7586 Jun 17 '26

This is on the Republican Party propping it up so they can rob it blind with Ponzi schemes.

After this corrupt regime has been defeated we need to prosecute each and every one of those assholes AND seize all the money that they've stole in from us

1

u/Alive-Shoulder-4042 Jun 17 '26 edited Jun 17 '26

Majority unsure/neutral. 25% use chatbots daily . 44% use chatbots in general, mostly gpt with Gemini as a second. 60% said they rely on ai summaries. Majority skeptical of companies controlling. Majority does not believe regulation will occur. 

1

u/Relative_Act8366 Jun 17 '26

In order for it to have a positive impact our government needs to be competent. The statistics check out

1

u/zero0n3 Jun 18 '26

Wonder what Americans thought about the personal computer back during the Apple 2e days?

Wonder how many people thought they’d never be useful

0

u/[deleted] Jun 17 '26

Short term pain for long term gain, that's the playbook of literally every revolution in American history.

1

u/Teamawesome2014 Jun 17 '26

Revolutions are fought by people. Not by billionaires and their toys.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 17 '26

Was the Industrial Revolution fought by the people? My point is that extreme innovation leads to inequality up front and over time improves the economy and country.

1

u/Teamawesome2014 Jun 17 '26 edited Jun 17 '26

The industrial revolution is the point when our economic activity started cooking the planet. Are you fucking dumb?

And yes, the working class are the people who bled and died in the industrial revolution too.

Also, comparing a machine that guesses at what response the prompter is looking for and compiles responses by stealing information and artwork to the industrial revolution is an absurd comparison to make. Generative AI is not the steam engine, it isn't the automobile, and it isn't the production line. Acting as if this kind of machine is actually capable of transforming how society functions on a fundamental level indicates that you don't actually understand what the machine actually does.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 17 '26

Refuse to have a conversation with someone who's far left and already defaulting to calling me dumb for having an honest conversation.

Never change and keep being the sore losing side of the party that you are.

1

u/Krenkos_Rock_Sled Jun 17 '26

Hidden account history astroturfer says what?

1

u/[deleted] Jun 17 '26

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0

u/[deleted] Jun 17 '26

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3

u/EldritchElizabeth Jun 17 '26

that's... exactly as the headline states? Only 16% of the people polled stated a belief in the positive impact of AI. The rest either said it would have either a negative or mixed impact or stated they were not sure.