Key facts
- Gallup reports a rise in American skepticism towards AI, contrasting with previous years of increasing comfort.
- 39% of Americans now believe AI does more harm than good, up from 31% in 2025.
- 79% of Americans anticipate AI will reduce U.S. jobs in the next decade, an increase from 73% in 2025.
- Trust in businesses to use AI responsibly has fallen to 27%, down from 31% in 2025.
- Younger adults (18-29) exhibit the most significant increase in negative sentiment and concerns about job displacement due to AI.
Americans' attitudes toward artificial intelligence are becoming more skeptical, according to a report released by Gallup on Tuesday. Despite a rise in familiarity with AI, with seven in 10 Americans now claiming to be somewhat or extremely knowledgeable, a growing number believe the technology does more harm than good.
Gallup's findings indicate that 39% of Americans now hold this view, an increase from 31% in 2025. Only 9% believe AI does more good than harm, while 52% see an equal balance of good and harm. This shift in sentiment is particularly evident among younger adults aged 18 to 29, where nearly half now express skepticism about AI's net impact, a notable rise from 36% last year.
Concerns about AI's effect on the job market are also intensifying. Nearly eight in 10 Americans, or 79%, now expect AI to reduce the number of U.S. jobs over the next decade, up from 73% in 2025. This expectation is shared by a significant majority of younger adults (75%) and those aged 45 to 59 (84%).
Furthermore, trust in businesses to use AI responsibly has declined. Only 27% of Americans reported trusting businesses at least "some" to use AI responsibly, a decrease from 31% in 2025. This decline is more pronounced among younger adults, where trust dropped from 30% to 20%, with a corresponding increase in those expressing no trust at all.
Despite these growing concerns, Americans continue to perceive AI as performing comparably to humans on various tasks, including driving, financial advice, and medical advice. However, human performance is still rated higher across all measured categories, such as hiring decisions and creative work.