A recent CBS News poll reveals that a majority of Americans are concerned about the potential harm artificial intelligence (AI) could cause but prefer slowing down AI development rather than stopping it altogether. The survey highlights widespread unease regarding AI models acting autonomously or being exploited to cause harm, balanced by recognition of AI’s potential benefits and the need for the United States to remain competitive in this critical technology sector.
What Happened
Between September 16 and 18, 2026, CBS News partnered with YouGov to conduct a national survey of 2,051 U.S. adults. Respondents were questioned about their views on AI technology, including perceived risks, economic impacts, and opinions on the appropriate pace and governance of AI development. The poll results showed that while many Americans expect AI to be a source of medical and scientific breakthroughs, a significant share worry about AI systems acting independently to harm people or being misused by others.
Despite these fears, only a small minority support halting AI development entirely. Instead, the public largely favors slowing its progress with a dual responsibility model, whereby both private AI companies and governmental bodies play active roles in oversight and regulation.
Key Facts
The national sample was weighted for demographic factors including gender, age, race, education, and modeled on recent presidential voting patterns, ensuring representativeness. The survey carries a margin of error of ±2.5 percentage points. Key findings include:
- Most Americans worry AI models could autonomously cause harm and believe people might use AI to harm others.
- Few Americans want AI development to stop entirely, reflecting recognition of its competitive importance, especially relative to China.
- Public opinion favors slowing AI progress to better manage risks rather than accelerating or halting development.
- There is a broad belief that both companies and the government should share responsibility for AI oversight, with more support for government restrictions than promotion.
- Concerns about job losses due to AI remain widespread, yet there is some optimism that AI will make workers’ jobs easier, even if fewer jobs overall exist.
- Attitudes on AI do not strongly align with traditional demographic or partisan divides.
What This Means
This poll underscores the complex stance Americans hold toward AI: cautious optimism mixed with serious unease about potential harms. The widespread call for slowing down development reflects fears that AI could outpace society’s ability to control it, potentially leading to physical, economic, and social risks.
For policymakers and industry leaders, the results highlight a public mandate for greater government involvement alongside private sector accountability in AI governance. This could influence upcoming regulatory proposals or voluntary frameworks designed to manage AI risks, from autonomous decision-making to impacts on employment.
Moreover, the focus on competition with China and the valuing of medical and scientific advances reveals that Americans are weighing national security and innovation alongside ethical and safety concerns. This balance suggests future discussions about AI will concentrate on crafting measured policies that neither stifle technological progress nor disregard emerging threats.
The Bigger Picture
This sentiment resonates with ongoing global debates on AI regulation, where many governments are proposing frameworks to ensure that AI systems are safe, controllable, and aligned with human values. The call for joint responsibility between companies and governments aligns with a broader trend to prevent unchecked AI deployment—seen in policy initiatives in the EU, the U.S., and other tech-leading nations.
Public fears about job displacement have persisted throughout AI’s development trajectory and are shaping workforce and education strategies aimed at mitigating economic disruption.
Sources
This article is based on reporting and publicly available information from the following source:
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