Pew Poll Finds 49% of Americans Use AI Chatbots as Only 16% See AI Positively
Updated
Updated · Futurism · Jun 21
Pew Poll Finds 49% of Americans Use AI Chatbots as Only 16% See AI Positively
3 articles · Updated · Futurism · Jun 21
Summary
49% of U.S. adults say they use AI chatbots, up from 33% in 2024, yet only 16% think AI will have a positive effect on society, according to a new Pew Research poll.
40% expect AI to affect society negatively, and 31% say it will harm them personally, underscoring a widening gap between adoption and public trust.
66% of adults ages 18 to 29 reported using AI chatbots—the highest of any age group—but 48% of them also said AI will be bad for society.
Usage falls with age even as skepticism stays broad: 61% of adults 30 to 49 use chatbots, 42% of those 50 to 64 do, and fewer than a quarter of people 65 and older do.
Pew did not pin down the cause, but the findings suggest AI's rapid spread—often pushed by workplaces and heavy investment—has not translated into public confidence.
Why is Gen Z, the generation most skeptical of AI's societal impact, also its most frequent user?
As businesses mandate AI for productivity, why are 80% of employees reportedly rejecting these new workplace tools?
With public trust low and profits unproven, is the $700 billion AI boom just an unsustainable bubble?
900 Million Users, Divided Trust: How Demographics, Skepticism, and Regulation Are Shaping the Future of AI in America and Beyond
Overview
American skepticism toward artificial intelligence is shaped by complex factors, including varying levels of engagement, confidence, and concerns about the technology's integrity across different demographic groups. While nearly half of U.S. adults have used AI chatbots, a slightly larger portion have never tried them, leaving a significant segment unengaged or hesitant. Age plays a major role, with younger adults adopting AI chatbots at much higher rates than older generations, who remain less exposed and potentially more skeptical. These divides highlight how demographic factors influence both the adoption of AI and the roots of public skepticism in the United States.