Artificial Intelligence offers more chance for harm than good, most Marylanders agreed, based on a new University of Maryland, Baltimore County, poll released today.

More than 90% of respondents said they were either somewhat or very concerned about the spread of misinformation and political propaganda fueled by AI, as well as threats such as identity theft, deepfake videos, and impersonation. Those anxieties extended beyond politics — over 80% expressed unease about declining face-to-face social interactions and the technology’s possible erosion of education, critical thinking, and learning. A similar share also voiced concern that AI could displace human workers.

Overall, a clear majority — 58% — said AI will harm society, while just 30% believed it would be beneficial.

It was surprising that so many residents agreed on the potential negative consequences, said pollster Mileah Kromer, director of the UMBC Institute of Politics.

“Very rarely do you find widespread agreement between Democrats and Republicans on many issues,” Kromer said. “Both groups are very concerned about the likelihood of AI being abused in terms of political propaganda, identity theft and impersonation.”

The poll, conducted in late October among 810 Maryland adults, including 757 registered voters, suggests that most residents are paying attention to the technology’s rapid rise — 86% said they had read “some” or “a lot” about AI. Even so, 26% reported they have never used it, while only 9% described themselves as avid users, turning to AI tools multiple times a day. About 43% said they use AI at least once a week. The margin of error for the poll was reported at 3.5%.

Party lines play a noticeable role in shaping Marylanders’ attitudes toward artificial intelligence. Among Democrats, 62% said AI would have a negative societal effect — a significantly higher share than the 48% of Republicans who said the same. Republicans and Democrats tended to use AI at similar rates, although 30% of Democrats said they never use the technology, compared with only 23% on the political right.

Gender differences were even more pronounced. Nearly two-thirds of women (64%) said AI would negatively affect society, compared with 49% of men. Women were especially likely to highlight fears about AI’s environmental footprint, its influence on education and critical thinking, and its potential to replace human workers.

Older respondents generally expressed fewer concerns about AI’s potential to harm society and tended to use the technology less. Daily use dropped from 26% of 18- to 34-year-olds down to 19% of those over 55. More younger users expressed concerns about negative effects on society, at 64%, compared to 53% of those over 55.

Despite these divides, the poll reveals a shared unease cutting across demographic lines, Kromer said, a rare consensus that also seems to be playing out in legislatures across the country.

In late October, the National Conference of State Legislatures sent a letter to congressional leadership opposing “any federal proposal that preempts state authority to legislate or regulate artificial intelligence. Such a preemption would undermine the federalist system that has allowed states to respond swiftly and effectively to emerging technologies and public needs.”

Kromer said it was notable how many states were working on or had passed laws to regulate AI.

“One of the interesting things about this type of technology with regards to politics is that usually it takes a little bit for legislation to catch up with the tech,” she said.

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