Poll Finds 57% of Americans View AI as Bad for Society

Oct 21, 2026
An ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll finds that 57% of Americans consider AI bad for society, while 66% oppose new data centers in the United States.

An ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll finds that 57% of Americans consider AI bad for society, according to ABC News. The share rises to 65% among adults under 30, while 53% of those 40 and older hold that view.

The poll finds that 73% see a high risk of AI hacking secure computer systems, while 65% see a high risk of job losses. Another 62% see a high risk of people losing the ability to make decisions without AI. Two thirds say the federal government is not doing enough to regulate AI, and two-thirds disapprove of how President Donald Trump is handling AI, with 30% approving.

Opposition also extends to the infrastructure supporting AI. About 66% oppose construction of new data centers in the United States, and 72% oppose a new data center in their own community. Local opposition includes 81% of Democrats, 76% of independents and 58% of Republicans.

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