Survey shows what Canadians think about AI tech like ChatGPT, Google Bard

Many Canadians have not used AI technology and are unfamiliar with its uses but believe it is 'good for society,' a new survey by Leger shows.

New technology involving artificial intelligence (AI) such as ChatGPT and Google Bard are dominating conversations and headlines across Canada.

But what do Canadians really think about AI, and how many have used the technology?

A new survey by Leger, published Feb. 23, dives into what Canadians and Americans think about AI tech and how familiar they are with its uses.

A sample of 1,539 Canadians and 1,000 Americans over the age of 18 were randomly selected for the survey. The questionnaire had 25 questions and was collected between Feb. 10 and Feb. 12.

The survey found the majority (65 per cent) of Canadian respondents had not used an AI tool, with 19 per cent saying they had in a "personal context" only. About nine per cent said they had used AI for work or school.

Broken down by age, about 44 per cent who said they had used AI tools were between the ages of 18 to 34.

According to the data, Alberta had the highest number of people (30 per cent) who had used AI before, followed by 26 per cent of respondents in Ontario and 24 per cent in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.