Public First Survey Finds AI Benefit Confidence Falls to 31% as U.S. Pessimism Deepens
Updated
Updated · POLITICO · Jun 15
Public First Survey Finds AI Benefit Confidence Falls to 31% as U.S. Pessimism Deepens
2 articles · Updated · POLITICO · Jun 15
Summary
31% of respondents in Public First’s 2026 survey said AI would make society better, marking a more pessimistic turn than in prior annual polls.
U.S. sentiment deteriorated sharply: 31% now see AI improving society versus 40% who think it will make things worse, down from a 39%-34% positive split in 2024.
Young Americans drove much of that shift, moving from a 4-point belief in 2025 that AI would help society to a 13-point margin in 2026 that it would harm it; young Britons showed a similar pattern.
Fears of misinformation, deepfakes and job losses topped U.S. concerns, while countries including Singapore and India still showed broad confidence that AI will benefit society.
The findings add to a wider perception gap in which China is increasingly seen as the AI frontrunner while the United States appears less unified about pushing ahead.
While the world sees China as the new AI leader, can America's cautious approach to regulation still win the race?
As Americans reject local data centers, can the U.S. build the vast infrastructure needed to power its AI ambitions?
AI leaders now say jobs are safe, but is the American workforce truly prepared for a future of AI-augmented work?
The 2025-2026 Global AI Power Shift: China’s Rise, U.S. Trust Crisis, and the Multipolar Race for Leadership
Overview
From 2025 to early 2026, the world experienced a major shift in global dynamics, especially in AI leadership and public sentiment. As the U.S. withdrew from 66 international organizations and conflict erupted with Iran, global perceptions were already changing. Gallup surveys across over 130 countries in 2025 showed a notable, though not overwhelming, preference for China’s leadership over the U.S., with 8 percent of countries strongly aligned with China compared to 5 percent with the U.S. These trends highlight China’s rising influence and a new, more complex global order in AI and international relations.