Most Americans are optimistic about impending technology as eight of 10 expect lab-grown organs will be available and computer art will be indistinguishable from human-created art. But not everyone's a fan of future tech possibilities with a good third worried new advancements could hinder quality of life.
That's just a few revelations in a new Pew Research Center report on Americans' view of technology and what's to come. The report queried Americans on everything from robotics and space colonization as well as tech that may become common elements of American life.
"Overall, most Americans anticipate that the technological developments of the coming half-century will have a net positive impact on society. Some 59% are optimistic that coming technological and scientific changes will make life in the future better, while 30% think these changes will lead to a future in which people are worse off than they are today," states the report.
Most Americans don't expect object teleporting to happen or colonized planets coming into play and only 19 percent say humans will one day control the weather. The majority doesn't think altering DNA for offspring production, using robots to care for elderly and implants for data collection purposes are good things.
While those potential tech innovations are not happening as yet, one tech advancement-the use of drones-is happening and 63 percent of Americans don't think they should be allowed to operate through most U.S. airspace. Take that Amazon and Google.
Only 48 percent are interested in a driverless car option, and most wouldn't opt for a brain implant to boost memory or mental capacity. Just 20 percent would be willing to eat meat grown in a lab setting.
Just about 20 percent would like to own a travel-related tech invention such as a flying car or flying bike or a hover car or jet pack.
The study was conducted via phone surveysof 1,001 adults in February of this year.
