Public concern about artificial intelligence is rising in the U.S., with new polling showing more Americans are uneasy about its role in daily life and skeptical of the people leading the industry. At the same time, political and business pressure is growing around AI data centers, jobs, education, and the costs tied to deploying the technology.
A new Pew Research Center study found that 52% of Americans are now more concerned than excited about increased AI use, up from 37% in 2021. Younger adults have also become more wary, particularly about employment and how AI could affect future job opportunities.
A CNBC poll of people aged 18 to 34 found that most respondents did not trust nine prominent AI industry leaders to act responsibly when developing the technology. A separate Economist/YouGov poll in May found that more than 70% of Americans thought AI development was moving too quickly.
Data Center Concerns Are Creating Political Pressure
Axios reported that the National Republican Senatorial Committee recently warned major AI companies that data center development could hurt Republican candidates in a key Ohio election. The concern reflects local opposition over issues such as electricity use, water consumption, construction, and the economic impact of large AI infrastructure projects.
Technology companies have responded in some communities by offering additional local commitments. According to The Wall Street Journal, those measures have included job guarantees, water infrastructure investments, and other incentives tied to planned data centers.
In one Louisiana parish, a Meta data center agreement included bonuses of up to $50,000 for teachers. The spending reflects efforts by companies to address community concerns as they build facilities needed to support large AI models and cloud services.
Consumers Are Questioning AI’s Everyday Value
AI features are also appearing across products that people already use, including search engines, email services, televisions, and other consumer devices. Some users have criticized those additions when they arrive automatically or replace existing product experiences.
Education has become another source of concern. Schools and universities are dealing with students using AI tools for assignments, while publishers, musicians, writers, and other rights holders continue to challenge how AI companies train models on copyrighted material.
Some younger consumers are also showing renewed interest in devices and activities that reduce dependence on algorithms and screens. Products such as dumbphones, point-and-shoot cameras, cassette players, CD players, and older iPods have attracted new attention, alongside offline activities including knitting, puzzles, games, and in-person social groups.
AI Executives Acknowledge a Trust Gap
Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky recently said on a podcast that AI companies need to build more products that ordinary people find directly useful. He argued that the industry needs applications that make the benefits of AI easier for consumers to experience.
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei also described negative public perception of AI as a serious trust problem in a recent post. He said AI companies had not yet delivered enough of the major public benefits they have promised and that the responsibility for proving those benefits rests with the industry.
Featured image credits: Magnific.com
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