A fresh biweekly survey from the nonprofit Athena Insights reveals a stark gap in public sentiment: Americans are nearly three times more likely to express concern than excitement over artificial intelligence's expanding role in daily life.
The “Americans on AI” poll, conducted every two weeks and first shared with The Hill, found that 28% of respondents are “very concerned” and 37% are “somewhat concerned” about the technology's growing influence. In contrast, only 6% said they are “very excited” and 18% are “somewhat excited.” Just 1% had no answer, while 9% said the options didn’t capture their feelings.
The survey of 1,814 U.S. adults underscores a public that has already formed strong opinions on AI, regardless of how much they personally interact with it. Notably, the findings cut across party lines with little variation, even as Democratic and Republican policymakers in Washington diverge on how to address the technology's risks and benefits.
Colin Hyatt Bortner, research lead for Athena Insights, told The Hill that the recurring survey is designed to track shifts in opinion over the coming year rather than capture a single snapshot. “We tried to develop a very neutral instrument on the theory that to the extent that AI is having an impact on people, and that impact is negative, that will then show up in the data, and then that will drive a policy response,” Bortner said.
He added that positive signals are also being measured: “We also ask about the likelihood that AI will help medical and scientific advances or if it’ll help improve healthcare. So the extent we’re starting to see these show up, that’s a really big sign too.”
The findings come amid a broader national debate about AI regulation. On Capitol Hill, lawmakers have held hearings on everything from deepfakes to job displacement, while the Biden administration has issued executive orders and the Trump campaign has weighed in on tech policy. The poll suggests that public worry is widespread, even as excitement about AI's potential in fields like medicine remains notable.
For context, other recent surveys have shown similar unease. A Pew poll found that 56% of Americans support a social media ban for those under 16, reflecting broader tech skepticism. Meanwhile, concerns over government transparency and foreign influence continue to shape political discourse, as seen in coverage of Iran's leadership secrecy and Muslim Americans' evolving political identity.
The Athena Insights survey will run every other week for a full year, offering a real-time gauge of how public sentiment evolves as AI applications spread across industries and daily life.
