Americans Use AI Every Day—But Most Still Don't Like It, New Poll Shows
TL;DR
A new poll shows over half of Americans use AI platforms regularly, but only 26% view it positively, with most believing risks outweigh benefits. Usage is rising despite low trust and negative perceptions compared to other institutions.
Key Takeaways
- •Over 50% of Americans have used AI platforms recently, but only 26% view AI positively, resulting in a net favorability score of -20.
- •57% of respondents believe AI's risks outweigh its benefits, with trust lowest in healthcare and finance sectors.
- •Usage of AI tools is increasing (56% recently), yet public trust remains low, with only 5% deeply trusting AI.
- •There is a partisan gap in AI governance views: Democrats trust the EU more than the U.S., while Republicans show the opposite pattern.
- •Most Americans think neither political party handles AI policies well, but politicians continue to push for AI controls and industry expansion.
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More than half of Americans said they had used an artificial-intelligence platform in the past two to three months, according to a new poll.
Yet when respondents were asked to rate their feelings toward the technology, AI ranked near the bottom of the list.
The survey of 1,000 registered voters was conducted by NBC News in partnership with Hart Research Associates and Public Opinion Strategies, from February 27 through March 3.
Just 26% of registered voters view AI positively, while 46% say they view it negatively, yielding a net favorability score of minus 20 points.
AI’s net favorability trailed Immigration and Customs Enforcement at -18, the Republican Party at -14, President Trump at -12, Kamala Harris at -17, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom at -18.
Only the Democratic Party, at -22, and Iran, at -53, ranked lower.
Usage figures, however, point to a different trend. Some 56% of respondents said they had used an AI platform such as ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, or Google Gemini in the past few months, up from 53% in August 2025 and 48% in December 2024.
The data indicate Americans are adopting the tools even as their views of the technology remain lukewarm.
The poll also asked whether the benefits of artificial intelligence outweigh the risks. A majority of respondents, 57%, said the risks outweigh the benefits, while 34% said the opposite.
The results align with a Pew Research Center survey from last September, which found that 50% of U.S. adults were more concerned than excited about AI, up from 37% four years earlier.
Other surveys paint a similar picture. A December 2025 YouGov poll found that 35% of Americans use AI at least once a week, yet only 5% say they deeply trust it.
Trust is lowest in healthcare and finance, sectors where AI is also expanding fastest. A Quinnipiac University survey from April 2025 found that just 4% of Americans think they can trust AI-generated information almost all the time, and nearly three-quarters said the government should intervene to prevent AI-caused job losses.
The NBC data also show a sharp partisan gap in how the question about AI governance is framed: Democrats trust the U.S. to regulate AI at lower rates than Republicans, while Democrats are more likely to trust the EU with the task—a reversal of the usual pattern on foreign institutions.
Overall, most Americans think neither party is good at handling AI policies, with 33% saying both are bad, 4% unsure, and 24% saying they do a similar job.
But despite that perception, politicians have not slowed down their interest in AI.
President Trump is pushing for tighter controls on AI hardware, while lawmakers are exploring ways to expand domestic AI industries without alienating voters.
The debate is unfolding amid persistent concerns about privacy and the technology’s economic impact.
At the same time, the White House is advancing AI infrastructure projects, including the controversial Stargate Project, even as the technology holds a net favorability rating worse than most politicians.