Public attitudes towards AI influenced by political values, says latest report
A recent report from the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) has found that public attitudes towards artificial intelligence (AI) are heavily influenced by their political values. The British Social Attitudes (BSA) report, released on Tuesday 8 July 2025, highlights the varying opinions on AI applications and the government’s use of AI for surveillance and decision-making.
The report comes at a time when the UK government is pushing for increased use of AI in public services and the economy, while public concern over the rapid deployment of emerging technologies continues to grow.
Surveillance and discrimination top concerns
The BSA report found that 63% of left-wing individuals are concerned about the potential for false accusations with facial recognition in policing, compared to 45% of those with right-wing views. Similarly, 57% of people from Black minority ethnic groups are concerned about facial recognition in policing, compared to 39% of the general public. Additionally, 23% of left-wing individuals worry about discriminatory outcomes in AI-assisted welfare decisions, compared to only 8% of those with right-wing views.
Job losses a concern for left-wing individuals
The report also revealed that those with left-wing views are more concerned about job losses due to AI than those with right-wing views. 62% of left-wing respondents expressed concern that robotic care assistants could lead to job losses, compared to 44% of right-wing respondents. Similarly, 60% of left-wing respondents were worried about job losses from driverless cars, compared to 47% of those with right-wing views.
Views on AI applications vary
The report found that those with libertarian views tend to see speed and efficiency as key benefits of most AI applications. 40% of libertarian respondents saw driverless cars as offering speed and efficiency benefits, compared to only 25% of authoritarian respondents. However, when it comes to potential job losses, the report found that those with left-wing views are more concerned about all AI applications than those with right-wing views.
Regulation needed for public trust
The BSA report also revealed that around 7 in 10 people would feel more comfortable with AI technologies if they were governed by laws and regulations. This sentiment was widely held across political orientations.
Alex Scholes, Research Director at the National Centre for Social Research, said, “As AI becomes more embedded in society, understanding how people respond to its different uses will be critical for both policymakers and developers. This research, in collaboration with the Alan Turing Institute and the Ada Lovelace Institute, shows that public attitudes are far from uniform. They are shaped not only by demographic factors but also by people’s political values. Importantly, even with the public’s diverse views about the benefits and risks of AI, there is widespread public agreement on the need for effective regulation.”
Octavia Field Reid, Associate Director at Ada Lovelace Institute, added, “It is clear that people’s understanding, trust, and comfort with AI are shaped by their political values and experiences with specific technologies and institutions using them. Policymakers need to ensure that the current AI adoption agenda aligns with public attitudes and expectations, especially within the public sector. This important research can help policymakers better understand the different concerns about AI across society and how these intersect with other areas of public policy, such as the job market and policing.”
For more information, please contact:
Evie Coffey, Communications Manager, National Centre for Social Research
evie.coffey@natcen.ac.uk
Direct: +44 20 7549 8512
Katie Crabb, Head of Marketing and Communications, National Centre for Social Research
katie.crabb@natcen.ac.uk
Direct: 0207 549 8504
The National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) is a registered charity and the largest independent, not-for-profit social research organisation in the UK. Founded in 1969, NatCen aims to conduct rigorous social policy research to improve society.
The BSA report is available at www.natcen.ac.uk/british-social-attitudes and was edited by Curtis Jessop, Elizabeth Clery, and Professor Sir John Curtice. The report is based on data from the NatCen Opinion Panel, which consists of a random probability design with members recruited from the BSA and the Life in Northern Ireland Survey respondents. The Panel survey was conducted between 25th October to 24th November 2024 and consisted of 3,513 interviews with a representative sample of adults in the UK.
An embargoed copy of the report is available upon request.
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.