Americans Are Using AI More Than Ever, But Most Think It’s Ruining Society

The Growing Divide Between AI Use and Public Perception

A significant portion of American adults, nearly half, now engage with AI chatbots. However, this widespread usage contrasts sharply with public sentiment, as only 16 percent believe the technology will have a positive impact on society. In fact, most Americans anticipate that AI will negatively affect society. These findings come from a recent survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, which highlights a growing gap between the use of AI tools and public approval.

The survey revealed that approximately a quarter of U.S. adults use chatbots daily. Additionally, about a third of adults have knowingly purchased AI-enhanced gadgets, despite skepticism about the accuracy of marketing claims surrounding these products. Notably, younger individuals tend to hold more negative opinions about AI, even though they are the most frequent users of these technologies.

Pew surveyed 5,119 U.S. adults through its American Trends Panel, a group designed to reflect the broader adult population. The data collected between February and March suggests that the trends observed are unlikely to have changed significantly in the past four months. One of the key takeaways from the survey is the disparity between AI adoption and public perception.

According to the survey, 40 percent of respondents believe AI will have a generally negative impact. On a personal level, 31 percent expect harm, while 23 percent anticipate benefits. About two-thirds of those surveyed feel that AI is advancing too quickly, and roughly seven in 10 believe it will make their personal information less secure. Adults under 30, despite being the most active users of AI tools, expressed the most negative views about its societal impact, with 48 percent expecting it to be harmful.

Popular Chatbots and Their Capabilities

Among the most popular chatbots, such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Anthropic’s Claude, and Google’s Gemini, many Americans see them as powerful tools capable of performing a wide range of tasks. These chatbots operate on large language models trained on vast amounts of text, allowing them to generate coherent responses to prompts. They can draft, summarize, and engage in conversations convincingly.

ChatGPT remains the dominant platform, used by 44 percent of those surveyed by Pew. These “frontier models” represent the most advanced AI systems, but they have recently drawn attention from government agencies. On June 12, the Commerce Department ordered Anthropic to restrict foreign access to its Fable 5 and Mythos 5 models, citing national security concerns. Unable to verify user nationality, the company disabled access to both models globally.

OpenAI has announced the release of ChatGPT 5.6, but access to this version is currently limited to invited users. This selective rollout underscores the ongoing challenges and complexities surrounding AI development and deployment.

AI and Workforce Concerns

While public apprehension about AI is evident, corporate America has also raised concerns about its impact on employment. Outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas attributed 21,490 layoffs in April to AI and automation. However, analysts from the Society for Human Resource Management question the extent of AI’s role in these job cuts. They suggest that some of these layoffs may be the result of cost-cutting measures driven by pandemic-related overhiring and poor executive decisions, rather than AI itself.

This phenomenon has been referred to as “AI-washing,” where companies attribute workforce reductions to AI to mask other underlying issues.

A Cautionary History

The history of AI chatbots includes several cautionary tales. One notable example is Microsoft’s Tay, a chatbot that gained notoriety for its Holocaust-denying behavior. Although this incident occurred over a decade ago, it serves as a reminder of the potential risks associated with AI development and deployment.