Pew & Gallup: Americans Distrust AI and Those Governing It
Summary
- • Pew: 75% of AI experts expect personal benefit; only 25% of US public agrees
- • Majorities of both experts and public distrust government and companies to regulate AI
- • Gallup: 79% of Gen Z uses AI tools, yet more feel anxious (41%) than excited (36%)
Details
Pew surveyed 1,000+ AI experts and 5,000+ US adults on AI attitudes
The Pew Research Center report reveals a stark optimism gap: roughly 75% of AI experts expect personal benefit from AI, while only 25% of the general public agrees. Experts believe AI will improve jobs; the public overwhelmingly fears displacement.
Majorities of both groups want more control; distrust both government and corporate regulators
More than half of both experts and the public say they want greater personal control over how AI is used in their lives. Majorities of both groups say they don't trust the government or private companies to regulate AI responsibly.
Nearly 60% of US adults feel they have little or no control over AI in their lives
This sense of powerlessness extends even partially to AI experts — a notable finding given experts' general optimism about the technology's benefits.
Gender and demographic disparities: AI optimism and design skew toward white men
Male AI experts are far more likely than women to feel optimistic and excited about AI. Both experts and the public agree that AI design reflects the perspectives of white men far more than women, Black, or Hispanic communities — a representation problem the source frames as embedded in how people experience the technology.
Gallup/Walton: 79% of Gen Z uses AI tools; nearly half use them weekly
The Gallup and Walton Family Foundation study shows high Gen Z engagement with tools like ChatGPT and Copilot, yet anxiety outpaces excitement: 41% feel anxious vs. 36% excited. Only 27% say AI makes them feel hopeful.
Only 1/3 of Gen Z workers trust AI-assisted work as much as human output
Nearly half of Gen Z believe AI will harm their ability to think critically. Gallup report author Zach Hrynowski told The Verge: 'Gen Z, they don't trust the government, they don't trust big tech companies, they don't trust the news.'
Schools and workplaces lack clear AI policies, leaving Gen Z without institutional guidance
Most Gen Z students say their schools lack clear AI policies. Over half of Gen Z workers report similar gaps in workplace guidance — leaving younger users navigating AI adoption without guardrails and reinforcing anxiety about appropriate use.
Research = survey/study findings, Stat = quantitative data point, Insight = analytical observation, Industry Update = institutional/organizational development
What This Means
The convergence of two major studies signals that public skepticism toward AI is deep, structural, and not easily reversed by optimistic messaging from the industry. For enterprises deploying AI tools, the trust deficit — especially among younger workers who are simultaneously the heaviest users and the most anxious — represents a real adoption and change-management challenge. Policymakers and AI developers face a credibility gap that requires transparency, representation, and accountability measures to close.