  With rapid advances in machine learning, many people in the field have been
discussing the rise of digital minds and the possibility of artificial
sentience. Future developments in AI capabilities and safety will depend on
public opinion and human-AI interaction. To begin to fill this research gap, we
present the first nationally representative survey data on the topic of
sentient AI: initial results from the Artificial Intelligence, Morality, and
Sentience (AIMS) survey, a preregistered and longitudinal study of U.S. public
opinion that began in 2021. Across one wave of data collection in 2021 and two
in 2023 (total N = 3,500), we found mind perception and moral concern for AI
well-being in 2021 were higher than predicted and significantly increased in
2023: for example, 71% agree sentient AI deserve to be treated with respect,
and 38% support legal rights. People have become more threatened by AI, and
there is widespread opposition to new technologies: 63% support a ban on
smarter-than-human AI, and 69% support a ban on sentient AI. Expected timelines
are surprisingly short and shortening with a median forecast of sentient AI in
only five years and artificial general intelligence in only two years. We argue
that, whether or not AIs become sentient, the discussion itself may overhaul
human-computer interaction and shape the future trajectory of AI technologies,
including existential risks and opportunities.
