If you’ve scrolled through LinkedIn lately or received AI-generated recommendations on Netflix, you might feel AI is taking over. It turns out that many Americans feel the same way.
A new global poll from the Pew Research Center shows that nearly half of US adults are more worried than excited about artificial intelligence. The United States stands out among 25 countries for its skepticism, even as AI continues to reshape industries and become part of everyday life.
Pew data reveals an anxious nation
The Pew Research Center’s survey found that a global median of 34% of adults are more concerned than excited about the increased use of AI in daily life. Another 42% are equally concerned and excited, while only 16% said they are mainly optimistic.
“In fact, in many countries surveyed, a larger share of people are equally excited and concerned about the growing use of AI,” the Pew survey noted.
Americans are at the higher end of that anxiety scale. Respondents in Italy, Australia, Brazil, and Greece share similar levels of concern, while people in South Korea and India showed more optimism about AI’s potential benefits.
Job fears fuel American skepticism
Axios’ coverage of the Pew report notes that the public unease about AI could “upend workplaces” if employees remain uncomfortable using the technology. The analysis also highlights that the US and Italy share the highest levels of concern about AI, while only 16% of adults in South Korea and 19% in India said they are mainly concerned.
That workplace unease isn’t new. A separate Pew study found that more than half of US workers expect AI to cause significant job losses in the next 20 years, reflecting the depth of anxiety around automation’s economic effects.
The global Pew report adds that trust in AI regulation varies widely, with 48% of respondents saying they have little to no trust in the US to regulate AI effectively, while 60% said the same about China. Meanwhile, 55% expressed trust in their own countries, and 53% said they trust the European Union.
Trust and regulation gaps widen
Beyond public concern, trust in AI leadership remains low. Few respondents said they trust the US or China to manage AI responsibly, while more expressed confidence in their own governments or the EU.
“Public trust in various actors to regulate AI is closely tied to how people view them overall,” the report said. For example, in countries such as Indonesia and South Africa, where China is viewed more favorably than the US, individuals are more inclined to trust China to regulate AI than the US.
Additionally, ongoing conversations around AI regulation and job replacement in the US suggest that skepticism toward the technology could slow innovation, even as more companies integrate AI into their products and workplaces.
The road ahead
Pew’s findings capture a global divide between the growing familiarity with AI and the deep uncertainty about its impact. In the United States, that anxiety could shape how quickly businesses and policymakers adopt new technologies.
As the report notes, few people worldwide describe themselves as “mainly excited” about AI’s future. For Americans, that hesitation leaves a larger question — how to embrace innovation without losing trust in the institutions driving it.
Curious how AI might change your industry? Read our breakdown of jobs most at risk from automation.
The post Americans Lead the World in AI Anxiety, Pew Study Shows appeared first on eWEEK.
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