By Nicole Weatherholtz | Tuesday, March 10, 2026
A recent poll revealed that voters nationwide are increasingly uneasy about artificial intelligence. The survey found that most respondents believe the risks of AI outweigh its benefits and express little confidence in either political party’s ability to manage the technology effectively.
According to the study, 57% of registered voters stated that AI’s risks outweighed its benefits, while only 34% held the opposite view. The findings highlight growing public skepticism as AI becomes more integrated into workplaces, the economy, and daily life.
Only 26% of voters reported positive feelings about AI, whereas 46% viewed it negatively. In the poll, AI ranked ahead of only the Democratic Party and Iran in terms of overall sentiment.
Concerns about job displacement appeared to be a major driver of public sentiment. Industry leaders have acknowledged that AI is likely to eliminate some jobs in the coming years, even as elected officials and business leaders emphasize its potential economic and technological gains.
The Trump administration has positioned U.S. leadership in AI as a key priority, arguing America must stay ahead of China while embracing innovation. President Donald Trump recently pushed back against warnings about AI’s impact on the labor market, stating: “They said the internet was gonna do — everything was gonna do — robots are gonna kill jobs. Everything’s gonna kill jobs,” and adding, “And you end up, if you’re smart, doing great.”
However, voters remain skeptical of both parties’ handling of AI. When asked which party is better at managing AI, 20% chose Republicans, 19% Democrats, and 33% said neither party is performing well. Additionally, 24% believed both parties are equally capable.
The survey also revealed significant demographic divides in perceptions. Voters aged 18 to 34 gave AI a net favorability rating of minus 44, while women ages 18 to 49 reported a minus 41 rating. In contrast, men over 50 and upper-class voters expressed positive views at plus 2.
A partisan split was evident: Republicans were evenly divided (33% positive, 33% negative), while independents and Democrats were more skeptical—26% positive versus 48% negative among independents, and 20% positive to 56% negative among Democrats.
Republican pollster Bill McInturff, who conducted the survey in partnership with Hart Research Associates, described the issue as “up for grabs” politically. He noted that the findings reflected “a lot of concerns that people have about this technology negatively impacting jobs and how those are especially relevant to younger voters [and] women under 50.”
Overall, 56% of voters reported using AI in the past two months. The survey was conducted from February 27 to March 3 with 1,000 registered voters and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.
