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A groundbreaking yearlong survey reveals that Americans are increasingly embracing AI, frequently describing it as “exciting,” “useful,” and “futuristic.” However, others continue to harbor concern.
Led by Dr. Jason Jeffrey Jones of Stony Brook University, the study tracked daily changes in national sentiment toward AI, documenting how support grew over time and how views differed across political affiliation, gender, and personal disposition, even as concerns about job loss and misuse remain.
Tracking a nation’s AI mood swings
Jones independently designed the research to move beyond one-time polling and track how public perception of AI changes over time. New respondents answered the same core question about AI development daily, yielding feedback from more than 4,000 US adults.
This consistent, high-frequency approach is rare in public opinion research, allowing the study to capture both long-term trends and immediate reactions to news and cultural shifts. The findings show that opinion is not fixed. As people encountered new developments in artificial intelligence, more began to see it as valuable and worth supporting.
Real-time reactions
Aside from the growing support for AI, the research examined how views varied over time and across demographic groups. While it identified clear patterns, it did not offer explanations for why those differences emerged. The reasons remain uncertain and will require further investigation.
Political alignment influenced the pace of support
Americans from both major parties grew more favorable toward AI, but Republicans showed a faster increase than Democrats. By the study’s conclusion, they were more likely to support continued advancement, indicating a potential partisan divide.
Gender showed a gap, but age did not
Men were consistently more supportive of AI than women, although attitudes in both groups became more positive over time. Age, on the other hand, had little influence. Support levels were similar among younger and older respondents.
Reactions were split between optimism and concern
Many participants viewed AI as promising, describing it as “exciting,” “useful,” or “futuristic.” Others expressed serious concerns, including job loss, economic instability, and lack of oversight. One participant warned: “We are playing with technology we are too dumb to understand.”
Public opinion isn’t optional
Jones emphasizes that public sentiment must play a key role in how AI is developed and governed. He calls for a tracking model to expand globally, allowing societies to observe how public attitudes evolve as the technology moves forward.
This real-time research provides a critical early signal, enabling decision-makers to identify blind spots and address concerns before trust is compromised. But tracking alone isn’t enough. Public feedback must inform how AI tools are built and regulated.
Further research is needed to understand the factors that drive these shifts in opinion. Without that insight, we risk acting on patterns without knowing what’s behind them.
Read eWeek’s coverage of how workers can stay employed in the age of AI, which highlights key strategies for adapting to automation and evolving job demands.