Americans Grow More Skeptical of AI as Familiarity Increases
A Bentley University-Gallup study reveals that increased knowledge of AI is fueling distrust and fears over job security.
Americans are becoming more knowledgeable about artificial intelligence, but familiarity is not breeding comfort. A 2026 study by Gallup and Bentley University reveals a cooling of public sentiment, as more citizens view the technology as a societal threat rather than a benefit.
According to the Bentley Business in Society survey conducted between May 4 and 11, 2026, 70% of Americans now claim to be somewhat or extremely knowledgeable about AI, up from 64% in 2024. Despite this increase in understanding, 39% of respondents believe AI does more harm than good, a rise from 31% in the previous two years. Trust in the corporate sector has also eroded; only 27% of Americans believe businesses will deploy AI responsibly, down from 31% the previous year.
This downturn follows a period of gradual improvement in AI sentiment between 2023 and 2025. The current reversal suggests that as AI moves from a novelty to a tool integrated into the workplace and daily life, the public is becoming more critical of its implementation. The data indicates that initial curiosity is being replaced by a more grounded, and more pessimistic, assessment of its impact.
The decline in trust is closely tied to economic insecurity. The study found that 79% of Americans expect AI to lead to job losses over the next decade, an increase from 73% a year ago. This anxiety is most acute among young adults aged 18 to 29. While Gen Z is the demographic most likely to adopt these tools, they increasingly view AI as a direct threat to their future employment and overall societal well-being.
As AI continues to permeate the labor market, the gap between corporate deployment and public trust remains a critical friction point. The industry must now contend with a user base that is better informed but significantly more skeptical. Whether this trend stabilizes or continues to decline will likely depend on how businesses address concerns regarding job displacement and ethical deployment in the coming years.