核心概念
Emerging spatial and socioeconomic divides in knowledge and adoption of the generative AI tool ChatGPT across the United States, with the highest rates of search in more urbanized, educated, and technology-oriented counties.
摘要
This study examines spatial and social patterns in knowledge and adoption of the generative AI tool ChatGPT across the United States in the first six months after its public release.
Key observations:
- Spatial clustering of ChatGPT search rates, with the highest rates on the West Coast and persistently low rates in Appalachia and the Gulf states.
- Counties with the highest ChatGPT search rates are more urbanized, have higher education levels, higher incomes, and larger Asian populations compared to the national average.
- In adjusted models, education emerges as the strongest positive predictor of ChatGPT search rates, even after accounting for other socioeconomic and demographic factors as well as industry composition.
- These findings suggest that the adoption of this new generative AI technology is following familiar patterns of digital divides, with early disparities in knowledge and use mirroring existing inequalities.
統計資料
"Counties in the top 10% with respect to the fraction of residents who are college-educated have population-weighted median rates of search for ChatGPT of approximately 7.7 per 10,000 searches, compared to 2.8 for the bottom 10% of counties."
"Counties in the top percentiles with respect to fraction Asian have rates of search greater than 10 per 10,000 searches, versus 2.6, 5.8, and 5.6 for the top percentiles of White, Black, and Hispanic or Latino populations, respectively."
"A county that has 1 standard deviation higher fraction Asian would have approximately 1.3 times the rate of search for ChatGPT of a comparable county in the same state with the same Black and Hispanic fractions."
引述
"Although generative AI tools may be new, user interest follows the well-worn patterns of established digital divides."
"While access to generative AI will necessarily be constrained by first-level divides, effects at the second and third levels remain unclear."
"Mitigating divides in computer and internet access continues to require mass campaigns, with workshops and free resources at public libraries and active interventions across schools; a similar effort may be called for in the context of the new generative AI divide."