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

Local officials feel unprepared to govern AI: Many US local policymakers report feeling "underprepared and inadequately informed to make AI-related decisions," suggesting a significant gap between the pace of AI development and policymakers' capacity to regulate it effectively.

Bipartisan support for AI regulation is growing: While Democrats consistently supported stronger AI oversight, Republicans showed "a notable shift towards majority support" for regulation between 2022 and 2023, indicating emerging common ground on the need for government oversight of AI.

Officials worry about surveillance, misinformation, and polarization: Local policymakers identified specific societal risks including "increased surveillance, misinformation, and political polarization" as major concerns, though they also acknowledged potential benefits in innovation and infrastructure.

ChatGPT shifted public and official awareness: The survey's two waves (2022 and 2023) captured how "the release of ChatGPT and the subsequent surge in public awareness of AI" changed policymakers' attitudes, suggesting that high-profile AI developments significantly influence how officials think about regulation.

Specific policy priorities are emerging: A majority of policymakers support targeted regulations addressing "data privacy, AI-related unemployment, and AI safety and fairness," indicating that local officials are moving beyond general concerns toward concrete policy solutions.