A majority of Americans express more concern than excitement about the growing use of artificial intelligence in daily life and want more control over how it is used. Brian Kennedy reports for the Pew Research Center that people are particularly worried about AI’s potential to weaken human creativity and personal connections.
The survey shows that 50 percent of U.S. adults are more concerned than excited about AI, while only 10 percent are more excited than concerned. This concern has grown since 2021, when 37 percent felt this way. According to the research, the most common worry is that AI will erode human skills.
More than half of the respondents, 53 percent, believe AI will worsen people’s ability to think creatively. A similar number, 50 percent, say it will negatively affect the ability to form meaningful relationships. In contrast, only 16 percent think AI will improve creativity, and just 5 percent believe it will enhance relationships. Americans are more divided on AI’s impact on problem-solving skills, with 38 percent saying it will make things worse and 29 percent saying it will make them better.
Despite these reservations, most people are open to using AI for practical purposes. Nearly three-quarters of adults say they would be willing to let AI assist them with day-to-day tasks. The survey highlights a clear distinction in where Americans see a role for AI. Majorities support its use for data-intensive tasks like forecasting the weather, searching for financial crimes, and developing new medicines.
However, there is strong opposition to AI’s involvement in personal matters. About two-thirds of Americans say AI should have no role in determining if two people could fall in love. An even larger share, 73 percent, believe it should not advise people on their religious faith.
The study also reveals a strong desire for transparency. A significant majority, 76 percent, says it is very important to be able to tell if content like pictures or text was created by a human or by AI. Yet, more than half of Americans are not confident in their own ability to make that distinction.
Younger adults are more familiar with AI than older generations. The survey found that 62 percent of those under 30 have heard a lot about AI, compared to 32 percent of those 65 and older. Interestingly, these younger adults are also more likely to believe that AI will harm people’s creativity and ability to form relationships.