Attitudes Towards Artificial Intelligence — IELTS Reading Answers

Section A

“Many decisions in our lives require a good forecast, and AI is almost always better at forecasting than we are.”

Section A stresses that despite advances 'we still seem to deeply lack confidence in AI predictions', a heading about low trust in AI forecasting, so iii.

Section B

“Consequently, this has caused even more suspicion and disbelief, leading many doctors to ignore the seemingly outlandish AI recommendations and stick to their own expertise.”

Section B shows doctors ignoring 'seemingly outlandish AI recommendations' and sticking to 'their own expertise', resistance from professionals, so vi.

Section C

“Trust in other people is often based on our understanding of how others think and having experience of their reliability. This helps create a psychological feeling of safety.”

Section C explains trust through 'understanding of how others think' and 'a psychological feeling of safety', the basis of trust, so ii.

Section D

“As AI is represented more and more in media and entertainment, it could lead to a society split between those who benefit from AI and those who reject it.”

Section D warns that representation in media could 'lead to a society split between those who benefit from AI and those who reject it', so i.

Section E

“Another solution may be to reveal more about the algorithms which AI uses and the purposes they serve.”

Section E proposes to 'reveal more about the algorithms which AI uses and the purposes they serve', transparency as a solution, so vii.

Section F

“Research suggests that allowing people some control over AI decision-making could also improve trust and enable AI to learn from human experience.”

Section F says allowing people 'some control over AI decision-making could also improve trust', user control as the answer, so v.

What is the writer doing in Section A?

1. Aproviding a solution to a concern
2. Bjustifying an opinion about an issue
3. Chighlighting the existence of a problemcorrect
4. Dexplaining the reasons for a phenomenon

“Yet for all these technological advances, we still seem to deeply lack confidence in AI predictions.”

Section A sets out AI's forecasting superiority then notes our persistent lack of confidence, highlighting a problem rather than offering a solution, so C.

According to Section C, why might some people be reluctant to accept AI?

1. AThey are afraid it will replace humans in decision-making jobs.
2. BIts complexity makes them feel that they are at a disadvantage.correct
3. CThey would rather wait for the technology to be tested over a period of time.
4. DMisunderstandings about how it works make it seem more challenging than it is.

“AI’s decision-making process is usually too difficult for most people to comprehend. And interacting with something we don’t understand can cause anxiety and give us a sense that we’re losing control.”

Because AI's decision process is 'too difficult for most people to comprehend', interacting with it causes anxiety and a sense of losing control, a disadvantage, so B.

What does the writer say about the media in Section C of the text?

1. AIt leads the public to be mistrustful of AI.correct
2. BIt devotes an excessive amount of attention to AI.
3. CIts reports of incidents involving AI are often inaccurate.
4. DIt gives the impression that AI failures are due to designer error.

“Embarrassing AI failures receive a disproportionate amount of media attention, emphasising the message that we cannot rely on technology.”

'Embarrassing AI failures receive a disproportionate amount of media attention, emphasising the message that we cannot rely on technology', so media breeds mistrust, A.

Subjective depictions of AI in sci-fi films make people change their opinions about automation.

“Optimists became more extreme in their enthusiasm for AI and sceptics became even more guarded.”

Sci-fi viewing made 'optimists more extreme' and 'sceptics even more guarded', so opinions hardened rather than changed, contradicting the statement, so NO.

Portrayals of AI in media and entertainment are likely to become more positive.

“As AI is represented more and more in media and entertainment, it could lead to a society split between those who benefit from AI and those who reject it.”

The passage says media representation may split society; it never predicts whether portrayals of AI will become more positive, so NOT GIVEN.

Rejection of the possibilities of AI may have a negative effect on many people’s lives.

“More pertinently, refusing to accept the advantages offered by AI could place a large group of people at a serious disadvantage.”

'refusing to accept the advantages offered by AI could place a large group of people at a serious disadvantage' confirms a negative effect, so YES.

Familiarity with AI has very little impact on people’s attitudes to the technology.

“Simply having previous experience with AI can significantly improve people’s opinions about the technology”

'Simply having previous experience with AI can significantly improve people's opinions' contradicts the claim that familiarity has very little impact, so NO.

AI applications which users are able to modify are more likely to gain consumer approval.

“For example, one study showed that when people were allowed the freedom to slightly modify an algorithm, they felt more satisfied with its decisions, more likely to believe it was superior and more likely to use it in the future.”

A study found that people allowed to 'slightly modify an algorithm' felt more satisfied and 'more likely to use it in the future', so YES.