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Politico Poll Finds Broad Cross-Party Concern That Advanced AI Could Threaten Humanity

September 16, 2026 at 09:26 EDT

Foundation Models
Policy & Regulation

A new POLITICO Poll conducted by Public First finds that 63% of U.S. adults see at least a moderate risk that advanced AI could destroy humanity, with concern spanning both major 2024 voting blocs. The survey found that 70% of Kamala Harris voters and 60% of Donald Trump voters put the risk at moderate or higher, underscoring that existential AI concern is no longer confined to one side of U.S. politics.

September 2026 · U.S. AI poll

AI Risk Becomes a Cross-Party Concern

A POLITICO Poll conducted by Public First found that 63% of U.S. adults see at least a moderate risk that advanced AI could destroy humanity, with concern high among both Harris and Trump voters.

63%

U.S. adults at moderate risk or higher

70%

Harris voters at moderate risk or higher

60%

Trump voters at moderate risk or higher

48%

Adults favor pausing development

Risk concern by 2024 vote

70%

Harris voters

60%

Trump voters

Both groups recorded majority concern at the moderate-risk-or-higher level.

Safety-first reading

Supporters of slower development see public concern as backing for audits, outside evaluations and stronger safeguards.

Critical reading

Skeptics warn that coordinated slowing could raise antitrust questions or protect incumbent AI labs.

What pacing would try to add

Embedded evaluators→Democratic coordination→Global coordination

The proposed goal is not a full halt, but more time for safeguards, alignment work and independent review to catch up with frontier capabilities.

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