Progressive Politics

Extracts:

Although prior research has often found that conservatives tend to be skeptical of new technologies, these findings reveal a more complex pattern: when AI recommendations appear to reflect a person’s own previous choices, conservatives are more inclined to follow them—driven by a broader preference for consistency and resistance to change.

Across a series of controlled online experiments, participants were asked to imagine or respond to AI-generated recommendations for movies, music, or recipes. In some cases, they were told the recommendation was based on their own past preferences. In others, this detail was omitted or changed—such as when the recommendation was intentionally described as novel or different from what the user usually consumed.

Participants also rated their political ideology on a scale from liberal to conservative. The researchers then analyzed how likely each group was to accept or follow the AI-generated suggestion.

In contrast to the widespread assumption that conservatives are more skeptical of new technologies, the studies consistently found that conservatives were more likely than liberals to accept AI-generated recommendations—but only under specific conditions.

The effect was strongest when participants believed that the AI recommendation was based on their own past behavior, such as previous music choices or favorite movie genres.

The findings shed light on an important psychological factor influencing AI adoption, but they do not suggest that conservatives are universally more enthusiastic about AI. The studies focused on low-stakes, everyday consumption contexts, where familiarity and consistency are appealing. Other research has shown that in high-stakes settings—such as medical decisions or autonomous vehicles—conservatives may remain more cautious or skeptical toward AI.