HPS³ - Yotam Margalit - The Politics of AI in Policy Implementation: Evidence from a Field ExperimentWe welcome Yotam Margalit on Wednesday, 19 June 2024 to the HPS Seminar Series

19 June 2024, 5:15 pm

The Hamburg Political Science Seminar Series (HPS³) features international speakers presenting cutting-edge research in empirical political science and political economy.

We welcome on Wednesday, 19 June 2024 17:15-18:45 CET in VMP9 A 411

Yotam Margalit(Tel Aviv University)

Title: The Politics of AI in Policy Implementation: Evidence from a Field Experiment
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Abstract:​ 

The use of AI by government agencies in guiding important decisions (such as policing, welfare, education) has generated backlash and led to widespread calls for greater public input in the regulation of AI. But what exactly would such public input reflect? Does personal experience with the technology or learning about its implications shape people’s views on using AI in government? We study these questions experimentally. We track the attitudes of over 1,500 workers, where the boss who allocates them to tasks (human vs. AI), the tasks' content and valence are randomly assigned. Over a three-wave panel, we find that personal experience with AI-as-boss affected workers’ performance, but not their policy attitudes. In contrast, exposure to information about the technology generated significant attitudinal change, even when it went against their experience or prior views. Our findings highlight the promise and potential challenges of involving public input in shaping AI regulation.

Keywords: AI regulation, Public opinion, Field experiment, Personal experience, New information, algorithmic management

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The HPS³ seminars take place  in person at the UHH. Please find the preliminary program on the HPS³ Website.

We invite everyone interested to attend the HPS Seminar Series and are looking forward to seeing you.