Pew: Only 16% of Americans expect AI to have a positive societal impact over the next 20 years

A Pew Research survey reports that just 16% of Americans anticipate AI will have a positive impact on society over the next 20 years, while about 40% expect a negative impact.

The survey also indicates that 67% of Americans do not believe the U.S. government will meaningfully regulate AI, and 59% distrust companies to develop AI safely.

Nearly two-thirds of Americans think AI development is occurring too quickly, with skepticism most pronounced among adults under 30, of whom only 14% view AI’s impact as positive.

Despite widespread skepticism, 44% of U.S. adults now report using ChatGPT, more than double the share in 2023, followed by Gemini (24%), Copilot (17%), and Meta AI (14%).

Daily chatbot use is reported by about a quarter of Americans, primarily for research or work, while men are more likely than women to use AI tools and express enthusiasm for them.