Most Americans now see AI as bad for society and want more regulation

A new Washington Post, ABC News and Ipsos poll found that 57% of US adults believe artificial intelligence is a negative influence on society. Another 67% say the federal government is not doing enough to regulate how the technology grows and develops.

What the poll found

The survey ran from October 9-13, 2026, and reached 2,545 US adults. The headline number is the 57% who think AI is bad for society overall.

Nearly one-third of respondents described AI as either “extremely” or “very” harmful.

On regulation, the frustration crosses party lines. Among Democrats, 80% said Washington is falling short on AI oversight. Independents landed at 66%. Republicans still came in at 54%.

The poll also found that two-thirds of Americans said they disapprove of building new data centers in the US.

Not a one-off result

A survey from the Annenberg Public Policy Center, conducted between February and March 2026, found that only 17% of respondents expected AI to have a positive impact over the next decade. By contrast, 42% predicted a negative one.

About two-thirds, 65%, said the government has done “too little” to regulate AI, and that view was held by 53% of Republicans in the survey.

A SurveyMonkey study found that 70% of participants consider AI policy a vital voting issue, while 74% support stricter regulations.

Studies from Gallup and SurveyMonkey also show majority support for safety rules even if those rules slow AI development.

The 2026 polling also shows 67% disapproving of President Trump’s handling of AI technology.

Why people are worried

The research points to three recurring concerns: job loss, safety and the sheer pace of development.

Disclosure: This article was edited by Diego Almada Lopez. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.