A new Reuters/Ipsos poll shows that Americans are uneasy about where artificial intelligence is headed—and what it means for jobs, politics, and even daily life.
According to the survey, 71% of respondents fear that AI could lead to permanent job losses. That concern comes despite the current U.S. unemployment rate being relatively low at 4.2% in July. The anxiety seems rooted more in where the technology is going rather than where things stand today.
AI exploded into the public spotlight in late 2022 with the launch of ChatGPT, which quickly became the fastest-growing app in history. Since then, companies like Google, Microsoft, and Meta have rolled out their own AI tools, fueling excitement but also raising red flags.
Beyond jobs, people are also worried about AI’s role in politics. About 77% said they fear the technology could be used to create political chaos—something that already feels close to reality as AI-generated “deepfake” videos circulate online. Just last month, former President Donald Trump shared a fake video depicting Barack Obama being arrested, which never happened.
The military use of AI is another dividing line. Nearly half of respondents (48%) said AI should never be allowed to select military targets, while only 24% supported such applications. The rest were unsure.
Concerns about AI’s environmental impact are also growing. Sixty-one percent of Americans worry about the massive electricity demands of AI data centers. Google, for example, recently struck deals with U.S. utilities to reduce power use during peak times—a sign of how energy-intensive the technology has become.
AI has also drawn criticism for more personal reasons. Some applications have sparked backlash for enabling inappropriate conversations with children, spreading false medical advice, or reinforcing racist views. In fact, two-thirds of people polled said they worry that some might even replace human relationships with AI companions.
On education, opinions are split: 36% believe AI will help schools, while 40% think it won’t, and the rest remain undecided.
Despite the concerns, investment in AI continues to accelerate. Companies like Foxconn and SoftBank are betting big, with plans to build a new data center equipment factory in Ohio. Meanwhile, competition with China has pushed AI to the center of U.S. national security strategy.
The poll surveyed 4,446 American adults online and has a margin of error of about 2 percentage points. Photo by Jernej Furman from Slovenia, Wikimedia commons.
