A recent study indicates that the rapid proliferation of generative artificial intelligence (AI) technology is accompanied by growing concerns over privacy violations, job displacement, and the spread of misinformation.
On Wednesday, the Korea Press Foundation’s Media Research Center released the fifth edition of its 2025 Media Survey. The report, which includes research on, Experiences and Perceptions of AI Anxiety Due to the Spread of Generative AI, found that nearly 9 out of 10 adults aged 20 to 60 who are familiar with AI expressed worries about privacy violations. The survey also revealed high levels of anxiety regarding the pace of technological advancement.
The Media Research Center conducted an online survey of 1,000 individuals aware of generative AI to analyze its impact on users. The findings show that 88.7% of respondents were concerned about the risk of generative AI infringing on personal privacy. This figure is comparable to the 88.2% who worried about the privacy of family, friends, and acquaintances, while concern for the general public was highest at 90.2%.
When it comes to job and task displacement due to AI, respondents tended to view the issue as more severe the further removed they were from its social implications. The statement “I worry that more jobs/tasks will be replaced by AI” garnered the highest agreement at 87.2%, followed by “I’m concerned that someone I know might lose their job” at 72.8%, and “I’m worried that my own job/tasks could be replaced” at 62.9%.
Apprehensions about misinformation resulting from AI errors were also significant. Respondents expressed concern for the general public (89.6%), people in their social circle (86.8%), and themselves (80.4%), in that order.
When asked to weigh the convenience gained from advancements in generative AI against the anxiety it causes, 43.3% of respondents felt that both were equally significant. Meanwhile, 39.8% believed the convenience outweighed the anxiety, while 16.9% felt that the anxiety was greater.
A survey on the acceptance of AI in news production by media companies revealed that 64.5% of respondents reacted positively to articles fact-checked using AI-based tools.
In contrast, articles featuring AI-generated photos or images received the lowest positive response rate at 40.0%, highlighting a significant difference in perception depending on how AI is utilized.
