Research Paper#Large Language Models, Climate Change, Public Opinion, Bias, Intersectionality🔬 ResearchAnalyzed: Jan 3, 2026 16:56
LLMs Systematically Misrepresent American Climate Opinions
Published:Dec 29, 2025 22:29
•1 min read
•ArXiv
Analysis
This paper is important because it highlights a critical flaw in how we use LLMs for policy making. The study reveals that LLMs, when used to analyze public opinion on climate change, systematically misrepresent the views of different demographic groups, particularly at the intersection of identities like race and gender. This can lead to inaccurate assessments of public sentiment and potentially undermine equitable climate governance.
Key Takeaways
- •LLMs used for analyzing public opinion on climate change systematically misrepresent the views of different demographic groups.
- •These misrepresentations are intersectional, meaning they vary based on the intersection of identities like race and gender.
- •LLMs can compress the diversity of opinions, potentially leading to inaccurate assessments of public sentiment.
- •These inaccuracies could undermine equitable climate governance.
Reference
“LLMs appear to compress the diversity of American climate opinions, predicting less-concerned groups as more concerned and vice versa. This compression is intersectional: LLMs apply uniform gender assumptions that match reality for White and Hispanic Americans but misrepresent Black Americans, where actual gender patterns differ.”