Artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms are permeating nearly every domain of human activity, including processes that make decisions about interests central to individual welfare and well-being. How do public perceptions of algorithmic decision-making in these domains compare with perceptions of traditional human decision-making? What kinds of judgments about the shortcomings of algorithmic decision making processes underlie these perceptions? Will individuals be willing to hold algorithms accountable through legal channels for unfair, incorrect, or otherwise problematic decisions? People’s views of AI decision-making will have numerous implications for law and policy—including for jury judgments about algorithmic liability and public support for AI regulation—as well as for individual choices as employees and consumers. This report relies on a survey experiment focused on the use of algorithms to make decisions about employment and unemployment to contribute to our understanding of U.S. public perceptions in these respects.
