A recent AP–NORC poll shows that a large majority of U.S. adults view protecting workers and ensuring that artificial intelligence remains under human control as higher government priorities than spurring AI development or competing with China.
About 80 percent of respondents told AP and NORC that safeguarding employees and maintaining human oversight of AI are top priorities for government. Roughly half of those surveyed said encouraging AI development is a top priority, and even fewer prioritized standing up to China in the AI arena.
The survey also found that 64 percent of American adults believe AI is evolving too quickly, with party differences: 76 percent of Democrats and 54 percent of Republicans share that concern. Nonetheless, supporters of both parties rate worker protection and human oversight as important.
Key poll details and findings
- The AP–NORC poll was conducted September 24–28, 2026, with interviews of 2,140 U.S. adults and a margin of error of 2.9 percentage points.
- A separate Reuters/Ipsos survey polled 4,506 adults, including 3,526 registered voters; its margin of error is two percentage points.
- In the Reuters/Ipsos results, 84 percent of registered voters said AI poses a threat to American workers.
- That same survey found 57 percent believe the Trump administration is not taking AI risks seriously, and 54 percent view Congress’s response as inadequate.
- Support for stricter government regulation of AI was high: 80 percent of Democratic voters and 61 percent of Republican voters favor more stringent rules.
- Fifty-six percent of respondents said they would limit construction of data centers, a measure that has provoked local opposition over noise and rising electricity use.
- Overall, 67 percent of respondents expressed dissatisfaction with Donald Trump’s AI policies, and 39 percent said neither major party is capable of handling AI issues properly.
Policy responses and political context
President Donald Trump has pushed to accelerate AI development, arguing that the United States could fall behind China if the government imposes too many limits. Last week he announced voluntary safety commitments from six major technology firms; those companies will subject systems to independent expert review, but the pledges contain no penalties for noncompliance.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in Athens that a working group led by Jay Clayton has been formed to prepare government actions on AI. The panel is charged with finding ways to capture the technology’s benefits while preventing or mitigating harms; Rubio stressed the need for rapid government action given ongoing development.
Calls for tougher regulation have come from across the political spectrum. In September 2026, Senator Bernie Sanders and former White House adviser Steve Bannon both urged more assertive government measures at the same Washington conference: Sanders warned of the potential for AI to eliminate tens of millions of jobs and to slip outside human control, while Bannon pushed to isolate China from U.S. AI developments and demanded immediate presidential action.
Why it matters
The polls indicate that social and employment consequences of AI are more salient to the American public than technological competition or purely economic arguments for rapid development. That public sentiment may increase pressure on lawmakers and the executive branch to adopt stronger regulatory measures or worker protections. Decisions on whether to rely on voluntary industry commitments, form regulatory frameworks, or pursue other interventions will shape how AI is governed and deployed in the United States in the near term.
