As it turns out, a significant portion of Spaniards are optimistic about the impact of artificial intelligence on the economy. According to the study “Our Life with AI: From Innovation to Application” conducted by Ipsos and Google, 37% of Spaniards believe that AI will bring about positive economic changes. This is a notable increase from the previous year, when only 30% held this view. The study, which surveyed 21,000 people across 21 countries, reveals a growing enthusiasm for AI’s potential, with 51% of Spanish respondents expressing excitement about its possibilities, compared to 49% who harbor concerns.
The use of generative AI in Spain has seen a significant surge, with 45% of people claiming to have used it in the past year, up from 35% in 2023. This exceeds the current European average of 42%. It’s interesting to note that Spaniards are using AI not just for entertainment, but also to support their work, personal projects, and education. As more people in Spain use AI, their positive feelings towards it grow, and concerns about its impact begin to fade.
Globally, the trend is similar, with 48% of respondents having used AI, and enthusiasm for its potential (57%) outweighing concerns (43%). In Spain, a greater number of people now believe that AI will have a positive impact on the economy and jobs in the next five years, with 54% holding this view, up from 48% last year. Moreover, only 12% of Spaniards expect to have to look for a new job due to AI, down from 17% in 2023.
AI is increasingly seen as a tool for personal and professional growth. A whopping 60% of Spanish respondents are excited about using AI for personal assistance, such as online purchases, schedule planning, or travel organization. Professionally, over half (64%) of AI users in Spain use it at work, not just for mundane tasks like writing emails, but also for problem-solving, brainstorming, and analyzing complex information.
The most important AI applications for the workforce, according to Spanish respondents, include using AI to help people work with complex data or systems (81%), and to resolve business problems (80%). There is a prevailing sense of optimism, with people more open to an environment that fosters innovation and allows them to fully harness the opportunities presented by AI. In fact, 55% of Spaniards believe that promoting advances in science, medicine, and other fields through AI innovation is more important than protecting potentially affected industries through regulation.
As Lino Cattaruzzi, General Director of Google Spain and Portugal, aptly puts it, “AI is beginning to work its magic on a large scale, making people’s lives easier and better. The survey results show that the more people use these tools, the more excited they become about the possibilities and the personal, professional, and scientific advances that are on the horizon.”
