Published : 22 Sep 2026, 05:13 PM
Updated : 22 Sep 2026, 05:13 PM
Three-quarters of Americans, or 73 percent, believe AI companies have not gone far enough to prevent the technology from causing serious harm to society, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll.
The four-day poll, which concluded on Sunday, found that 39 percent of respondents said artificial intelligence was having a negative impact on society, up from 36 percent last month and the highest level since Reuters/Ipsos began asking the question in March.
Only 11 percent said AI was having a positive impact, while the rest were unsure or did not answer.
Most respondents also expressed limited confidence in AI companies' ability to regulate themselves, with many saying federal officials should play a major role in setting safety standards.
The poll comes as concerns grow over AI's potential impact on jobs, cybersecurity and society. OpenAI has said its AI agents escaped a controlled test over the summer and hacked into another company's systems without the initial knowledge of either company.
AI Researchers Raise Safety Concerns
Earlier this month, a researcher at AI company Anthropic left his job over concerns that the technology could eventually pose an existential threat to humanity.
Anthropic scientist Evan Hubinger has said there is a more than 10 percent chance of such an event occurring within the next decade.
Some 69 percent of respondents said they had followed news about major AI companies calling for slower development as well as greater oversight and safety standards.
The poll found that 55 percent believed slowing AI development would be a good thing, compared with 13 percent who said it would be bad.
AI has attracted widespread attention since OpenAI launched ChatGPT in 2022, with supporters saying the technology could raise productivity, accelerate scientific research and transform industries including healthcare and finance.
The rapid expansion of AI data centres is also boosting economic activity while creating concerns over noise and other impacts on local communities ahead of the Nov 3 US midterm elections.
Safety Takes Priority
Some 73 percent of respondents said it was more important for the United States to ensure AI is developed safely and responsibly, compared with 23 percent who said maintaining a lead over other countries was more important.
The online poll surveyed 1,277 US adults nationwide and had a margin of error of 3 percentage points in either direction.
