First interactions with generative chatbots shape local but not global sentiments about AI

As artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots become increasingly integrated into everyday life, it is important to understand how direct interaction with such systems shapes public sentiment toward AI more broadly. Leveraging a unique window in April 2023—when many individuals still had little or no experience with such systems—we combined experimental manipulation (chatbot exposure vs. no exposure) with natural variation in real-world AI usage. In a preregistered proof-of-concept experiment (N = 220), we investigated whether a short conversation with a GPT-3.5-based chatbot influenced participants' sentiments across multiple dimensions of AI perception. We assessed system-specific fear, user engagement, anthropomorphization, and potential spillover effects to other domains, including AI in medicine, recruitment and governance. Results show that direct interaction reduced fear and increased enjoyment of the chatbot itself, while fostering a more critical, realistic understanding of its abilities. However, spillover effects were limited: exposure led to reduced fear of AI in familiar, concrete domains (e.g., medical applications), but not in more abstract or speculative areas. Hope about AI's societal potential remained unaffected. Our findings highlight that sentiments toward AI are multidimensional and context dependent. Exposure to AI chatbots can shift immediate attitudes but does not necessarily generalize to broader AI perceptions, underscoring the need for more targeted engagement strategies in shaping public understanding and trust.