Rising AI Adoption in the U.S. Meets Widespread Skepticism
Americans are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence (AI) for tasks like research, writing, school and work projects, and data analysis — yet confidence in the technology remains low.
A recent poll conducted by Quinnipiac University, published Monday, reveals that while AI usage is growing, trust in the tools is still limited. Out of nearly 1,400 respondents, 76% said they trust AI only rarely or sometimes, leaving just 21% who trust it most or almost all of the time.
Even with this mistrust, AI adoption is on the rise. The poll found that only 27% of Americans have never used AI, down from 33% in April 2025.
“The contradiction between use and trust of AI is striking,” said Chetan Jaiswal, a computer science professor at Quinnipiac. “Fifty-one percent say they use AI for research, and many also use it for writing, work, and data analysis. But only 21 percent trust AI-generated information most or almost all of the time. Americans are clearly adopting AI, but they are doing so with deep hesitation, not deep trust.”
Excitement Is Low, Concern Remains High
Distrust may be fueled by unease about AI’s future impact. Only 6% of Americans reported being “very excited” about AI, while 62% were either not so excited or not at all excited. Concern over AI, by contrast, is substantial: 80% are either very concerned or somewhat concerned, with millennials and baby boomers leading in worry, closely followed by Gen Z.
The poll also found 55% believe AI will do more harm than good in daily life, while just a third feel it will do more good than harm. Researchers note that negative perceptions of AI have increased since last year, reflecting recent Big Tech layoffs, controversial AI incidents, and the growing environmental footprint of data centers.
Opposition to AI Infrastructure Grows
Americans are wary of the physical expansion of AI. A majority (65%) oppose the construction of AI data centers in their communities, citing concerns over high electricity consumption and water use.
Concerns extend to employment as well. 70% of respondents think AI will reduce job opportunities, while only 7% believe it will create more jobs. This marks a notable shift from last year, when 56% predicted a job decline and 13% expected job growth. Gen Z respondents are the most pessimistic, with 81% anticipating fewer job opportunities.
“Younger Americans report the highest familiarity with AI tools, but they are also the least optimistic about the labor market,” said Tamilla Triantoro, a professor of business analytics and information systems at Quinnipiac. “AI fluency and optimism here are moving in opposite directions.”
Real-world trends appear to reinforce these worries. Entry-level job postings in the U.S. have fallen 35% since 2023, and AI leaders, including Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, have warned that AI will eliminate jobs.
Personal Job Security vs. Labor Market Concerns
Despite fears about the broader labor market, Americans are somewhat less worried about losing their own positions. Among employed respondents, 30% expressed concern that AI could make their jobs obsolete, up from 21% last year.
“Americans are more worried about what AI may do to the labor market than about what it may do to their own jobs,” Triantoro said. “People seem more willing to predict a tougher market than to picture themselves on the losing end of that disruption — a pattern worth watching as the technology moves deeper into the workplace.”
Trust in Companies and Government Is Low
Part of the skepticism may stem from perceptions of the organizations behind AI. Two-thirds of survey participants believe businesses are not transparent enough about their AI use, and the same proportion feel the government is not doing enough to regulate the technology.
This sentiment emerges amid ongoing debates over AI oversight, as states aim to assert authority over regulations while federal officials — including under Trump’s latest AI framework — and industry leaders push to limit state-level rules.
“Americans are not rejecting AI outright, but they are sending a warning,” Triantoro said. “Too much uncertainty, too little trust, too little regulation, and too much fear about jobs.”
References
- Quinnipiac University AI Poll, 2026
- Statements from Chetan Jaiswal, Quinnipiac University, Computer Science Professor
- Statements from Tamilla Triantoro, Quinnipiac University, Professor of Business Analytics and Information Systems
- Job posting statistics, U.S. Department of Labor data
- Comments from Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic
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