Only 16% of Americans anticipate a positive effect from artificial intelligence on society, while about 40% believe its impact will be negative. These findings were reported by the Pew Research Center following a survey of 5,119 adult residents of the U.S.
Americans' views on the potential impact of AI on society and personal life. Source: Pew Research.Skepticism about AI extends to government institutions as well. 67% of respondents do not believe that U.S. authorities can effectively regulate this area. Additionally, 59% distrust companies involved in AI development. Nearly two-thirds of respondents feel that AI is advancing too quickly.
Democratic voters under 30 are the most skeptical about artificial intelligence, with only 14% expecting a positive societal impact from the technology.
The correlation between U.S. citizens' political preferences and their views on AI regulation. Source: Pew Research.Despite this skepticism, researchers noted an increase in the everyday use of neural networks. About a quarter of surveyed Americans reported using chatbots daily. The most popular service is ChatGPT, utilized by 44% of U.S. adults, more than double the level in 2023. Following ChatGPT are Gemini (24%), Copilot (17%), and Meta AI (14%).
Similar sentiments were recorded by other sociologists. In May, the international research firm YouGov reported that 71% of Americans believe AI development is progressing too quickly. There were twice as many pessimists regarding the long-term impact of the technology on society compared to optimists—51% versus 25%.
In January 2025, YouGov staff observed a more moderate outlook: 35% of respondents expected a positive impact from AI on society, while 34% anticipated a negative one.
It is worth noting that in May 2025, a joint study by Reuters and the analytics firm Ipsos claimed that 61% of Americans view artificial intelligence as a threat to humanity.