Only 17% of Americans See AI as Positive, Versus 56% of Experts, Polls Find

Just 17% of the U.S. general public believes AI will have a positive impact on society, compared with 56% of AI experts, according to surveys by the Pew Research Center and the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC). When asked about AI's societal impact over the next 20 years, 17% of the general public viewed it positively, against 56% of AI experts. A 2026 APPC survey of about 1,330 people likewise found only 17% expected AI to have a positive impact on the U.S. over the next decade (7% very positive, 11% somewhat positive), while 42% expected a negative one. (Pew Research Center, Annenberg Public Policy Center)