Polls Find Broad Concern About AI and Support for Oversight

Two national surveys released this week found widespread concern in the United States about artificial intelligence, including its pace of development, potential effects on workers and risks to human control. Both also found support for government oversight, though they surveyed different populations and asked different questions. In an AP-NORC poll of 2,140 U.S. adults, 64% said AI was developing too fast. Another 27% said its pace was about right and 8% said it was too slow. The poll was conducted September 24-28 and had a margin of sampling error of 2.9 percentage points. About eight in 10 adults said it was very or extremely important for the government to keep AI under human control and protect workers. Concern about development speed crossed party lines, although Democrats were more likely than Republicans to say AI was advancing too quickly: 76% of Democrats and 54% of Republicans said so. A separate Reuters-Ipsos survey, conducted September 30-October 5 among 3,526 registered voters, found 69% supported stricter government regulation of AI. Support included 80% of Democrats and 61% of Republicans.