Exploring AI Expert and Non- Expert Perceptions of Artificial Intelligence

OMB Control #0693-0043

Expiration Date: 03/31/2022

(NIST Generic Clearance for Usability Data Collections)

A Federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, nor shall a person be subject to a penalty for failure to comply with an information collection subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 unless the information collection has a currently valid OMB Control Number. The approved OMB Control Number for this information collection is 0693-0043. Without this approval, we could not conduct this survey/information collection. Public reporting for this information collection is estimated to be approximately 60 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the information collection. All responses to this information collection are voluntary. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this information collection, including suggestions for reducing this burden to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) at: 100 Bureau Drive, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, Attn: Mary Theofanos, mary.theofanos@nist.gov.

NIST User Perceptions AI Interview Protocol: NON-EXPERTS

You may skip any question.

1. What is your age range?

• 18–29

• 30–39

• 40–49

• 50–59

• 60+

2. What is your sex?

• Male

• Female

3. What is your ethnicity? 

• Hispanic or Latino

• Not Hispanic or Latino

4. What is your race? (Choose one or more.)

• American Indian or Alaska Native

• Asian

• Black or African American

• Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander

• White

5. What is your highest level of education?

• Some high school

• High school diploma

• Some College

• Bachelor’s degree

• Master’s degree

• Doctoral degree

• Other: ________________

6. If you have a degree beyond high school, in which discipline/field is your degree? ______________

7. What is your occupation? _____________

8. Please rate your knowledge of each of the following topics from very little knowledge to expert knowledge:

1. Technology

• Very little or no knowledge

• Little knowledge

• Moderate knowledge

• High knowledge

• Expert knowledge

2. Computer security

• Very little or no knowledge

• Little knowledge

• Moderate knowledge

• High knowledge

• Expert knowledge

3. Artificial Intelligence, or AI

• Very little or no knowledge

• Little knowledge

• Moderate knowledge

• High knowledge

• Expert knowledge

9. Do you use any of the following? [check all that apply]

• Automated driving features (adaptive cruise control, automatic forward-collision braking, automatic parking, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, steering assist, etc.)

• Computer or laptop

• Navigational aids (Google Maps, Apple Maps, etc.)

• Online dating services

• Online financial services (online banking, stock trading, etc.)

• Online gaming services

• Online shopping/e-Commerce (Amazon, Etsy, E-Bay, etc.)

• Online travel booking websites

• Smarthome device (smart thermostat, smart home security, smart doorbell camera, smart TV, smart appliances, etc.)

• Smartphone

• Smartwatch or fitness tracker

• Social media (Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.)

• Streaming services for video and/or music (YouTube, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu+, Disney+, Spotify, Pandora, etc.)

• Virtual assistant (Amazon Echo/Alexa, Google Assistant/Home, Apple Siri, etc.)

10. Do you live with, work closely with, or otherwise interact regularly with an AI expert?

• No

• Yes

Interview Questions

Intro questions—About them

1. Talk to me about your background and occupation, how did you end up working where you are today?

Questions about AI

2. When you hear Artificial Intelligence, or AI, what’s the first thing that comes to mind?

3. What do you think AI is? How would you define it?

4. What do you think AI is used for today?

   1. What do you think AI does well?

   2. What does it NOT do well?

5. What do you think AI will be able to do in the future? Say 5 years from now.

   1. What about 10-20 years from now?

6. What would you be comfortable with AI doing?

7. What would lead you to trust AI?

   1. What would lead you to not trust AI?

8. Talk to me about the types of technology you use on a daily basis, does any of it use AI?

9. Overall, do you think AI will have a positive or negative impact on people? On society?

   1. Is there anything you’re worried or concerned about with AI?

   2. What do you think about data privacy in AI?

   3. What does ethical AI mean to you?

   4. Is there anything you’re excited or hopeful about with AI?

10. If you had to pick a single word to describe AI, what would it be? What about an image?

11. Any other thoughts on technology and AI you’d like to share?