After two years of improving sentiment, Americans have grown more negative toward artificial intelligence (AI) as the technology becomes more commonly used in businesses and classrooms. These shifts are documented in recent polling conducted by Bentley University and Gallup.
Key findings
- Nearly four in ten U.S. adults now say AI does more harm than good, an increase from 31% a year earlier.
- The negative view is particularly pronounced among younger adults: nearly half of those aged 18 to 29 believe AI does more harm than good.
Economic impact and trust
Respondents' concerns focus largely on jobs and corporate responsibility:
- Nearly eight in ten believe AI will reduce the overall number of U.S. jobs over the next decade.
- Only 6% expect AI to increase the number of jobs.
- Just 27% say they trust businesses to use AI responsibly.
Related trends
The changing sentiment aligns with findings from other surveys that show broad public disapproval of data centers, which are essential for powering AI systems.
Why this matters
The polling suggests that widespread deployment of AI has not translated into greater public confidence. Strong pessimism among younger adults and low trust in businesses could drive policy debates and influence how AI is regulated and adopted in the coming years.
