Most Americans now see AI as bad for society and want more regulation

A new Washington Post, ABC News and Ipsos poll found that 57% of US adults believe artificial intelligence is a negative influence on society. Another 67% say the federal government is not doing enough to regulate how the technology grows and develops. What the poll found The survey ran from October 9-13, 2026, and reached 2,545 US adults. The headline number is the 57% who think AI is bad for society overall. Nearly one-third of respondents described AI as either “extremely” or “very” harmful. On regulation, the frustration crosses party lines. Among Democrats, 80% said Washington is falling short on AI oversight. Independents landed at 66%. Republicans still came in at 54%. The poll also found that two-thirds of Americans said they disapprove of building new data centers in the US. Not a one-off result A survey from the Annenberg Public Policy Center, conducted between February and March 2026, found that only 17% of respondents expected AI to have a positive impact over the next decade. By contrast, 42% predicted a negative one. About two-thirds, 65%, said the government has done “too little” to regulate AI, and that view was held by 53% of Republicans in the survey. A SurveyMonk...