Americans See More Risk Than Reward From Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence is playing an increasingly large role in the daily lives of Americans and, if those closest to the cutting edge of artificial intelligence are to be believed, AI will soon become a defining feature of everyday life. However, polls find Americans aren’t fond of AI boom and the role it will play in the country’s future.

When asked about the effects of AI on the U.S. economy, 45% said it will be negative and only 17% said it will be positive, while 24% said it will be equally positive and negative, the latest Economist/YouGov poll found. Young people aged 18-29 were slightly more optimistic, with 22% saying it will be positive and 42% saying it will be negative. But across age groups, races, education levels, and political affiliation, a plurality of respondents believe the net effect will be negative.

This concern primarily stems from the effect AI will have on job creation. Sixty-three percent think that AI will lead to a decrease in the number of jobs available in the United States, while only 12% think it will have no effect and 7% think it will increase the number of jobs.

These concerns come from the majority who have used AI but still are not using it for everyday tasks. The poll found that only 23% use AI regularly, while 40% said they have used it but not regularly, 19% said they have seen it used but have not used it themselves, and 12% said they have never seen it used or used it themselves. Among young people, slightly more, 30%, use it regularly, but still the plurality – 42% –use it only occasionally.

One of the novel aspects of AI is that, unlike with previous advancements in technology and automation, job losses and effects will likely hit white-collar jobs first, whereas earlier waves of automation initially affected blue-collar workers through developments such as farming equipment and machinery.

According to Gallup polling data, this is already bearing out. Industries with the highest AI use were higher education, finance, professional services, and technology, all reporting between 34% and 57% using AI a few times a week and between 62% and 77% using it a few times a month. The three lowest AI-use sectors were retail, at only 33% using it a few times a month, and health care and manufacturing, both at 41% using AI a few times a month.

Concern over data centers, which are necessary for AI data processing, is another issue. According to a Politico poll, while 37% would support a new data center being built in their area and 28% would oppose it, support drops to 23% if the data center would increase their energy bill by $5 a month. If the data center would cause monthly energy prices to increase by $50, only 12% support it.

Concerns about electricity costs outrank even concerns about job loss, according to the poll. While 21% say they are most concerned about job loss as AI improves, 29% say higher electricity costs are their biggest concern, and 24% cite the risk of electricity blackouts as their top concern.

If the government were perceived as equipped to regulate AI, concerns might be lower, but voters overwhelmingly think AI is moving too fast for the government to properly regulate it, according to a Fox News poll. The January survey found that 59% think AI is moving too quickly, while 33% think it is moving at the right pace and 6% too slowly. Since 2023, Americans also increasingly believe the federal government will not be able to properly regulate AI, with 39% expressing confidence in 2023 and 36% saying the same in 2026.