Artificial intelligence is everywhere, but how Americans feel about it in their personal lives is more ambivalent than you might expect. Although its ubiquity is quite evident, as 60% of U.S. adults report using AI tools to search for information, and for adults under 30 that share rises to 74%.  AI is without a shadow, a part of everyday life for many, yet that familiarity doesn’t equate to trust or broad enthusiasm. 

Concern is superseding the use of AI and excitement that comes with it. Pew Research Center data shows that in 2025, 50% of Americans say they are more concerned than excited about AI’s growing role in daily life, up from 37% in 2021. Over the same period, the share who feel more excited than concerned has steadily shrunk, falling from 18% to just 10%. Even the middle ground is eroding, those who feel equally excited and concerned peaked in 2022 before sliding to 38% suggesting public sentiment isn’t neutralizing but tilting decisively toward unease. 

This confluence of using AI and the anxiety that comes with it runs deeper when trust is also included in the conversation. A YouGov survey in Q4 Dec 2025 shows that while 35% of U.S. adults use AI at least weekly, trust remains low: only 5% trust AI “a lot”, and 41% express outright distrust of AI systems. Even among regular users, skepticism persists, especially in sensitive areas like finance and healthcare.

The increase of AI is making Americans uneasy to the point that they feel there must be guardrails on it. 67% of Americans want the government to intervene and regulate AI more rather than less, even if it slows down the momentum of innovation. While 12% favor minimal or no regulation, indicating that most people see limits as necessary to contain unknown risks.

Control or lack thereof is another recurrent theme prevalent across user’s issues. A majority of Americans say they don’t feel in control of how AI is used in their lives, with 61% wanting more control over its personal applications and only 17% are satisfied with the control they currently have, while the other 21% remain uncertain. 

What emerges is a nuanced portrait where AI is pervasive in daily life, yet the trust behind it still lags behind.  Americans are willing to use AI for relegating tasks, but at the same time remain dubious about loss of control and ethical oversight. The relationship with AI isn’t quite yet foregrounded on confidence; it’s more like a strained truce where convenience coexists with doubt and regulation is seen as part of the solution, not optional.