Nearly two-thirds of Americans now use artificial intelligence, yet a majority remain anxious about its impact on jobs, relationships, and society.
Artificial intelligence has officially gone mainstream in the United States but trust has not kept pace.
A new national survey reveals that 64 percent of Americans now use AI tools in their work or personal lives, with half using them at least once a week. More Americans report using an AI chatbot in the past month (60 percent) than reading a newspaper (30 percent). Yet despite this rapid adoption, most Americans remain uneasy about what AI means for their future.
According to the poll, more than half of Americans say they feel anxious about the rise of artificial intelligence, while just 42 percent say they are excited about its possibilities. Among those who do not use AI, distrust is a leading barrier: 37 percent cite lack of trust as their reason for avoiding the technology, and 29 percent worry about its broader impact on society.
The survey highlights a striking generational tension. Younger Americans, often assumed to be the most technologically optimistic, report the highest levels of anxiety about AI’s societal impact. Nearly three in ten adults ages 18–29 say they feel strongly anxious about the rise of AI, a higher share than among older generations.
Americans’ concerns focus on practical, near-term risks rather than science-fiction scenarios. Large majorities say they are extremely or very concerned about:
- Loss of human oversight in AI systems (63 percent)
- Loss of human creativity and interaction (62 percent)
- Cyberattacks enabled by AI (61 percent)
- Misinformation in AI output (61 percent)
- Job displacement (54 percent)
At the same time, new use cases are emerging that show how deeply AI is already woven into everyday life. Nearly one in four Americans say they have used an AI tool for mental health or emotional support. Among adults under 30, more than a third report doing so, and 28 percent say they would be more likely to bring an emotional problem to an AI chatbot than to another person.
This research suggests that the future of AI in America will be shaped less by access than by confidence. Cost is rarely cited as a barrier. Instead, the main obstacles are psychological and practical: people either do not trust AI or do not yet see how it fits into their lives.
