NATIONAL AI MONITOR · 2026

Where does the country stand on AI? Net positive by 35 points...
but with key concerns identified.

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PURPOSE

Tracking the real-time effects of AI deployment on the American people

What we're measuring

The National AI Monitor follows the effect AI is having on the lives of Americans right now, whether they think the technology is helping or harming them, and their expectations for the next few years.

How we're measuring it

We asked 1,000 Americans whether AI is having a positive or negative effect on their lives overall, as workers, customers, community members, investors, and stewards of the environment, and what effect they expect in the future. Then we asked for qualitative responses describing their rationale.

Why this matters

AI has considerable potential to have a positive impact on business, innovation, and society – but it also presents significant risks. Leaders need a deeper understanding of how people are experiencing AI today and how their decisions affect the public over time.

KEY FINDINGS

Americans feel AI is having a positive impact on their lives in every category except the environment

Select a dot or a label to see what’s behind the number

−1000+100

LOOKING AHEAD

Americans are more pessimistic about AI as they think of their future

Very negative Somewhat negative Not sure No effect Somewhat positive Very positive

16%

14%

19%

28%

17%

Effect people expect AI to have on them over the next few years

Who expects what

Age

Positive expectation peaks mid-career. Adults aged 18–24 are the only age band where more people expect AI to harm them than help, and those over-65 are almost evenly split.

Gender

Men are far more likely than women to expect AI to help them (and are the reason sentiment is positive overall), while women are almost evenly divided between expecting benefit or harm.

Race

Black respondents are markedly more likely than white respondents to expect AI to help them.

Party

Republicans are the most optimistic of AI. Independents are the least optimistic, and Democrats sit between the two.

Household income

Optimism climbs steadily with household income.

Methodology

How the National AI Monitor works

How one score is built

Very negative

Somewhat negative

No effect/Not sure

Somewhat positive

Very positive

19% negative 40% positive

40 − 19 = +21

Net score: If 40% report a positive effect and 19% report a negative one, the score is +21. It does not mean 21% of people are positive.

Who we ask

Roughly 1,000 US adults each month, starting in August 2026, weighted to national benchmarks for age, gender, race, education, region and income.

What we ask

Two overall ratings (current effect and future-facing) plus one for each stakeholder role, on a five-point scale from very negative to very positive. “Not sure” and “this doesn’t apply to me” are offered as answer choices. Questions are followed by an open-ended “why do you say that?” except for the future-facing overall question.

How the score works

Net = (% very positive + % somewhat positive) minus (% very negative + % somewhat negative), on a −100 to +100 scale. Numbers displayed may not add up exactly due to rounding.

Get in touch

Want to look at the full data?

The National AI Monitor is fielded monthly. We can share the full crosstabs, and brief your team on what the numbers mean for you.

Where does the country stand on AI? Net positive by 35 points...but with key concerns identified.