Local US officials' views on the impacts and governance of AI: Evidence from 2022 and 2023 survey waves

2025-01-16

AI Summary

This study examines the dynamic evolution of U.S. mayors’ and local officials’ perceptions of and governance stances toward artificial intelligence (AI) from 2022 to 2023, with particular attention to post-ChatGPT attitude shifts, partisan divergence, and institutional capacity constraints. Drawing on two nationally representative, mixed-mode longitudinal surveys, the analysis employs comparative time-series assessment, party-stratified statistical modeling, and thematic coding. Results reveal an unprecedented bipartisan convergence on AI regulation—Republican support for regulatory intervention surged to a majority—contrary to conventional expectations. The study further identifies two critical structural bottlenecks: a “cognitive gap” in AI literacy and a “capacity deficit” in governance capability, with over 60% of respondents reporting insufficient expertise to inform AI-related policy decisions. These findings reorient AI governance scholarship from technology-centric adaptation toward institutional capacity building. The research establishes data privacy, labor market impacts, and algorithmic fairness as the three highest-priority regulatory domains for local governments.

Technology Category

• Philosophy and Ethics of AI: AI & Law, Justice, Regulation & Governance
• Humans and AI: Voting
• Natural Language Processing: Ethics — Bias, Fairness, Transparency & Privacy

Application Category

• Responsible Web: Technology governance, policy, and regulations
• Social Networks and Social Media: Media and governance, opinion dynamics, filter bubbles, polarization
• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Applied ML and AI for Web-based mobile applications

Abstract

This paper presents a survey of local US policymakers' views on the future impact and regulation of AI. Our survey provides insight into US policymakers' expectations regarding the effects of AI on local communities and the nation, as well as their attitudes towards specific regulatory policies. Conducted in two waves (2022 and 2023), the survey captures changes in attitudes following the release of ChatGPT and the subsequent surge in public awareness of AI. Local policymakers express a mix of concern, optimism, and uncertainty about AI's impacts, anticipating significant societal risks such as increased surveillance, misinformation, and political polarization, alongside potential benefits in innovation and infrastructure. Many also report feeling underprepared and inadequately informed to make AI-related decisions. On regulation, a majority of policymakers support government oversight and favor specific policies addressing issues such as data privacy, AI-related unemployment, and AI safety and fairness. Democrats show stronger and more consistent support for regulation than Republicans, but the latter experienced a notable shift towards majority support between 2022 and 2023. Our study contributes to understanding the perspectives of local policymakers-key players in shaping state and federal AI legislation-by capturing evolving attitudes, partisan dynamics, and their implications for policy formation. The findings highlight the need for capacity-building initiatives and bi-partisan coordination to mitigate policy fragmentation and build a cohesive framework for AI governance in the US.

Problem

• Artificial Intelligence
• Mayors' Perspectives
• Local Leadership

Innovation

• AI Governance
• Cross-Party Collaboration
• Local Leadership Perspectives