Asger Risom
Americans are becoming increasingly wary of artificial intelligence, with new polling showing a noticeable jump in fears about AI’s long-term risks.
Americans are becoming increasingly wary of artificial intelligence, with new polling showing a noticeable jump in fears about AI’s long-term risks and its effect on everyday life. The latest YouGov data shows public opinion shifting toward skepticism at a faster pace than earlier this year.
More fear AI could threaten humanity
Concern that AI could eventually lead to the end of the human race has risen from 37% in March to 43% in June. Sixteen percent say they’re very concerned about that outcome, and another 27% say they’re somewhat concerned.
Broader views of AI’s societal impact are also turning darker. Nearly half of Americans (47%) now believe AI will have a negative effect on society — up steadily from 34% in late 2024 and from 40% in March.
Even so, there’s a clear split between frequent AI users and everyone else. Among people who use AI tools at least weekly — about one-third of Americans — 51% believe AI will have a positive impact on society, while 27% expect a negative one.
Worries about deepfakes and lost creativity are growing
Americans are also increasingly concerned about specific downsides of advanced AI. Since March:
- Fear of growing human dependence on technology has risen from 45% to 50%
- Concern about diminished creativity and drive has grown from 44% to 49%
- Concern about deepfakes has jumped from 58% to 63%
- Worries about declining face-to-face social interaction rose from 41% to 46%
Confidence in AI’s ability to provide trustworthy information is slipping, too. Half of Americans now say they don’t trust AI much or at all to give accurate information — up from 43% in March.
And distrust runs even deeper when it comes to judgment calls: 67% don’t trust AI to make ethical decisions, and 57% don’t trust it to make unbiased ones.
Fewer Americans think AI will destroy jobs in their industry
Even as big-picture concerns increase, fewer workers now fear immediate disruption in their own fields.
Only 31% believe AI will reduce the number of jobs in their industry — down from 48% in August 2024. Concern about losing their own job or hours has stayed steady at around 35%.
Americans are also divided on how AI will affect the workplace overall:
- 39% think AI will reduce average job satisfaction
- 15% think it will increase it
- 32% think AI will lower productivity
- 27% think it will boost productivity
Nearly half of Americans have used AI — mostly for simple tasks
Forty-eight percent of Americans say they’ve used AI to look up the answer to a question. Other common uses include:
- Clarifying complex topics (31%)
- Entertainment or amusement (31%)
- Step-by-step instructions (30%)
- Translation (29%)
Men report using AI more than women across many categories, including coding help (19% of men vs. 7% of women) and drafting or proofreading writing (31% vs. 20%).
Sources: YouGov
