Americans Skeptical of AI in Personal Lives, Want More Control Despite Technological Advances

A new Pew Research Center study reveals that Americans remain deeply cautious about the role of artificial intelligence in their personal lives. Half of respondents said they are more concerned than excited about AI’s growing presence in daily life—a slight dip from 52 percent in 2023 but a significant increase from 37 percent in 2021. Among the top concerns are AI’s potential to harm creativity and weaken meaningful human relationships. Only 18 percent of Americans believe AI should play any role in dating or matchmaking, and just 3 percent are comfortable with it playing a major role. While many accept AI’s use in areas like weather forecasting or medical research, there is a strong consensus that it should stay out of deeply personal domains. Two-thirds of respondents said AI should not be involved in romantic relationships, and 73 percent believe it has no place offering guidance on religious beliefs. Misinformation is another major worry. Eighteen percent ranked it as their top concern, just behind fears about AI’s impact on human capabilities and social connections. Despite this, 53 percent of Americans said they are not confident in their ability to distinguish AI-generated content from human-made work. Surprisingly, younger adults are more apprehensive than older ones. Fifty-seven percent of those under 30 said they are extremely concerned that AI will erode human abilities, compared to 46 percent of adults over 65. Overall, the findings show a clear preference for limits on AI. Sixty-one percent of Americans said they want greater control over how AI is used in their lives. Yet, 57 percent believe they have little or no influence over those decisions. The data underscores a growing public demand for transparency, ethical boundaries, and user empowerment in the development and deployment of AI technologies.