In April and May a survey of more than 2,000 US adults asked how people feel about artificial intelligence, how much they trust it for various tasks, and whether they support laws now under consideration. The findings show a complex mix of interest, concern and demand for regulation.
Americans’ views are evenly divided: about one third positive, one third negative and one third mixed. Attitudes depend on experience and age: skilled daily users are far more positive than people who have only tried AI a few times, and adults 18–29 are more positive than adults 60 and older. Younger workers report more pressure to use AI at work. Political party does not produce large differences in overall feeling.
There is broad support for a “right to a human” in important settings: more than 70% want the option to interact with a human in medical, legal, education and government contexts. People prefer human contact especially for medical care, legal proceedings and education.
Respondents also backed rules to increase transparency and protect privacy. Large majorities want to be told when they are interacting with AI, to limit use of individuals’ faces and voices, and to label AI-generated images and video. Many adults worry AI will widen inequality over the next decade. A proposed “digital dividend” paid for by a tax on large tech companies found majority support across party lines. The researchers plan to repeat the poll annually, and full findings and methodology are available at futurerealities.org. The work was presented at The Future of Our Realities 2026 conference and was supported by a Johns Hopkins University Nexus Award.
Difficult words
- survey — series of questions given to many people
- regulation — official rules that control activity
- transparency — openness about how something works
- privacy — right to keep personal information private
- respondent — people who answer a survey or pollRespondents
- inequality — unequal access to money or opportunities
- digital dividend — payment to citizens funded by public revenue
- majority — more than half of a group
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Do you think people should always have the option to interact with a human in medical or legal situations? Why or why not?
- What risks might AI create for inequality in the next decade, and what policies could reduce those risks?
- How should companies and governments label or disclose AI use to build public trust? Give examples.
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