Quinnipiac poll: Americans adopt AI but distrust the results

A new poll published on Monday by Quinnipiac University, a US-based university, reveals a stark divide in how Americans interact with artificial intelligence. While more people in the U.S. are using these tools, public trust in the technology’s output remains low. Of nearly 1,400 Americans surveyed, 76% reported that they trust AI rarely or only sometimes, whereas just 21% trust it most or almost all of the time. This skepticism persists even as adoption grows: only 27% of respondents said they have never used AI tools, a decrease from 33% in April 2025.

This gap highlights a striking contradiction between utility and trust. Chetan Jaiswal, a computer science professor at Quinnipiac, noted that while 51% of Americans use AI for research, and many others use it for writing, work, and data analysis, only 21% trust AI-generated information most or almost all of the time. This lack of trust might stem from feelings of dread about the future AI will bring. Indeed, 55% of Americans say AI will do more harm than good in their day-to-day lives. This negative sentiment is further fueled by local concerns, with 65% of Americans opposing the construction of AI data centers in their communities. The broader public unease follows a year marked by high-profile issues, including energy-grid strains, corporate layoffs, and life-ending AI psychosis cases.

Economic anxiety is particularly acute regarding the labor market. The poll found that 70% of Americans think AI advancements will cut the number of job opportunities, up from 56% last year, while only 7% believe it will increase opportunities. This pessimism is strongest among Gen Z, where 81% foresee a decrease in jobs. These fears are grounded in shifting market realities: entry-level job postings in the U.S. have sunk 35% since 2023. Additionally, 30% of employed Americans are concerned AI will make their jobs obsolete, up from 21% last year. Tamilla Triantoro, a professor of business analytics and information systems at Quinnipiac, observed that “AI fluency and optimism here are moving in opposite directions.” She added that Americans appear more willing to predict a tougher overall market than to picture themselves on the losing end of that disruption.

Beyond employment concerns, the poll highlights a demand for greater oversight. Two-thirds of respondents stated that businesses are not doing enough to be transparent about their AI use, and an identical two-thirds believe the government is not doing enough to regulate the technology. Triantoro noted that Americans are not rejecting the technology outright but are sending a warning marked by too much uncertainty, too little regulation, and deep anxiety over jobs.

Why it matters

The disconnect between AI utility and public trust creates a volatile environment for companies, as users demand more transparency and regulation while fearing economic displacement.