The Political Effects of the AI Revolution: Micro-level Evidence

Machine learning and algorithmic decision-making technology – i.e., “artificial intelligence” (AI) – is rapidly advancing and becoming more widespread at workplaces. For some individuals, this is beneficial in that it increases their productivity and generates new employment opportunities. Other individuals, however, could see their incomes and employment opportunities decline because AI takes over their work tasks or because they are insufficiently skilled to fully take advantage of AI technology in their work. Some of this is already visible and, given what is known from previous research on the implications of technological transformations, these developments are likely to affect people’s political attitudes and preferences. I investigate this empirically using novel indicators of AI exposure and AI complementarity in combination with data from multiple waves of the European Social Survey. I find that AI exposure and complementarity do indeed have meaningful effects on political attitudes and preferences (specifically demand for redistribution and support for right-wing populist parties): Increasing AI exposure, when combined with AI complementarity, significantly lowers support for redistribution and for right-wing populist parties, while high complementarity in the absence of exposure has the opposite effects. In addition, while the former effect got weaker over the last two decades, the latter became stronger. These findings add to a growing literature that shows that the “AI Revolution” is already having meaningful political effects.