WASHINGTON — Most Americans think artificial intelligence is developing too fast, and worries about it cross party lines, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
The poll found 64% of U.S. adults say AI is developing “too fast,” while 27% say the pace is “about right” and only 8% say it is moving “too slow.”
About 8 in 10 adults say it is “extremely” or “very” important for the government to make sure AI stays under human control. About as many want the government to prioritize protecting American workers, the AP reported.
Most Democrats and Republicans agree on those two priorities. Republicans are more likely to stress growing the economy and competing with countries like China, while Democrats are more likely to prioritize minimizing environmental harm.
Few Americans think either party has an advantage on AI. President Donald Trump, who has pushed back against slowing AI development over concerns about China, gets a low rating on the issue, with 67% disapproving of his handling of it.
Ron Theusch, a 58-year-old truck driver from Alden, Minnesota, told the AP his top worry is losing jobs, including his own. “I can just see a train of self-driving trucks 24/7, just running up and down I-35,” he said.
Stephanie Stewart, 53, a junior high science teacher in Utah, said she is frustrated by the lack of regulation. “We’re just going to allow these companies to do whatever they want,” she said.
Sources: KTAR News/AP. Thee Arizona Times uses AI-assisted reporting reviewed against the sources listed.
Photo: Grj23 / CC0 via Wikimedia Commons.
