Gauging support for autonomous delivery drones powered by artificial intelligence: A public survey in Singapore

Abstract

There has been emerging empirical evidence supporting the role of artificial intelligence (AI) knowledge in public support for AI. These findings stand in sharp contrast to the long-standing cognitive miser view in determining technological acceptance. In this study, by contrasting models of knowledge deficit against cognitive miser using data from a large-scale public opinion survey about autonomous delivery drones in Singapore ( N  = 1,002), we investigated whether knowledge and various heuristic cues were associated with AI support. Our results revealed that objective knowledge was not a direct determinant of support, while various heuristic cues such as propensity to trust in AI, news media attention, perceived source credibility in scientists and authorities, as well as risk and benefit perceptions presented significant associations. Mediation analyses further revealed knowledge was indirectly associated with support through heuristic cues such as source credibility perceptions as well as risk and benefit perceptions. Our findings were largely consistent with the cognitive miser model in that AI acceptance is immediately associated with cognitive heuristics rather than knowledge. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.