Americans across party lines call for greater human control over AI

Yesterday 20:20

By: Azzat Manal

Americans across party lines call for greater human control over AI

Americans are increasingly concerned about the rapid development of artificial intelligence, with voters from both major political parties expressing strong support for keeping the technology under human oversight and protecting workers from its potential consequences.

A new survey by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that 64% of U.S. adults believe artificial intelligence is advancing too quickly. By comparison, 27% consider the pace appropriate, while only 8% believe development is moving too slowly. The poll was conducted from September 24 to 28 among 2,140 adults and has a margin of sampling error of 2.9 percentage points.

The findings point to a rare area of agreement in an increasingly polarized political environment. Roughly eight in 10 Americans say it is extremely or very important for the federal government to ensure that AI remains under human control and to protect the U.S. workforce as the technology becomes more widely adopted.

Concerns about employment are particularly significant as companies continue to develop increasingly capable AI systems and automate tasks previously performed by people. Workers in industries ranging from transportation to office-based professions are facing questions about how quickly automation could reshape their jobs.

Political differences nevertheless remain over how the United States should approach AI. Democrats are more likely to describe the current pace of development as too fast, while Republicans place greater emphasis on economic growth and maintaining the country's technological position relative to international competitors, particularly China.

Environmental concerns are another point of debate. The rapid expansion of AI requires large data centers that consume substantial amounts of electricity and water, raising questions about energy costs, infrastructure and environmental pressure. An earlier AP-NORC survey found that 53% of Americans were extremely or very concerned about AI's environmental impact, up from 41% in 2025.

Public confidence in political leaders and parties to manage AI is also limited. The AP-NORC survey found that only 31% of Americans approve of President Donald Trump's handling of artificial intelligence. Meanwhile, 39% said neither the Republican nor Democratic Party could be trusted to handle the issue effectively. Twenty-three percent said they trusted Democrats more, compared with 21% who favored Republicans.

The figures come as the Trump administration has emphasized the importance of maintaining U.S. leadership in AI and competing with China. The administration has resisted approaches that could significantly slow technological development, arguing that excessive restrictions could weaken America's position in a strategic global competition.

For many Americans, however, the debate is less about which country leads the AI race and more about how the technology affects everyday life. Concerns include job displacement, privacy, children's exposure to AI systems, misinformation and the possibility that increasingly autonomous technologies could become difficult for humans to control.

Younger Americans tend to be particularly concerned about the pace of AI development. Around three-quarters of Democrats surveyed said AI is advancing too quickly, compared with about half of Republicans, highlighting a partisan difference in perceptions of technological risk even as both groups broadly support human oversight.

The survey also suggests that Americans are not yet turning to AI extensively for political information ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Only 21% said they had used or planned to use AI to learn about a candidate or ballot issue, while smaller shares said they had used it to determine how to vote, register or decide whom to support.

As AI becomes increasingly integrated into workplaces, schools and public services, the findings underline a growing demand for safeguards alongside technological innovation. The challenge for policymakers will be to balance economic and strategic ambitions with public concerns about employment, safety, privacy and maintaining meaningful human control over increasingly powerful AI systems.